Descent
by Imhilien
Summary: Chloe Decker won't see Lucifer again until her last day on earth. Post-Season 4 finale AU.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Lucifer TV show. No copyright infringement is intended; I am only borrowing these characters.

I thought the season 3 finale was angsty enough, then the season 4 finale came along. I'm sure our good cop / strange cop team will be back fighting crime next season (crosses fingers), but what if Lucifer never returns and Chloe has to carry on with life.

Chloe is in shock after Lucifer leaves. She can't believe he's gone for good… why couldn't they have had more time together? But to keep Los Angeles and the rest of the world safe, he will stay in hell. It's what an angel would do.

Her head accepts that, but her heart is another matter. Over the next few days though, she tries to keep things together for the sake of Trixie – her daughter shouldn't have to see her mother a crying, unhappy mess on the couch. But it's at night that the tears come and her pillow is often wet in the mornings.

Chloe goes back to work. Sometimes it's the last thing she feels like doing, but life goes on and bills have to be paid. It doesn't matter there's a black void in her life where Lucifer was, she has her duties to uphold.

She finds herself though often looking up from her desk, half-expecting Lucifer to waltz up to her with a takeout coffee, dressed in some $1,000 suit and a sparkle in his dark eyes. Then reality crashes back in and she finds herself staring into space before forcing herself back to the papers in front of her.

Explaining Lucifer's absence to others is like putting salt in a wound. Dan had curled his lip at the news that Lucifer had departed for good, but he had the grace to look uncomfortable at Chloe's barely concealed misery.

Ella had pestered Chloe the most about the details of Lucifer's absence.

"What do you mean, we can't email or text Lucifer," Ella had fretted. "He wouldn't go where there is no wi-fi. It doesn't make sense. Not even a phone call?"

No wi-fi in hell, Chloe had thought ironically. Being without social media would be a special torment in hell for some residents.

Explaining the news to Trixie takes an unexpected turn. After stiltedly telling her daughter that Lucifer has had to go away for good, Trixie looks at her with serious eyes.

"He's gone back to hell, hasn't he," she says matter-of-factly.

Chloe reels back in surprise for a moment, before collecting herself.

"You knew who he really was, monkey?" she whispers.

Trixie nodded. "He was really old inside, mommy, even older than grandma. But he was nice and he liked you."

There's a lump in Chloe's throat. "I liked him too, honey."

Sometimes Chloe goes back to Lux to try and regain some sense of closeness to Lucifer. Maze has taken over the management of Lux and does an efficient job, as far as Chloe can see. Chloe can sometimes though see a grim set to Maze's face that says that if she keeps busy, she doesn't have to think too hard about things. Chloe has recognized the same look on her own face in the mirror at times.

Months afterward, Ella continued to grumble about Lucifer having disappeared from the face of the earth. Then Chloe sees something click together in Ella's eyes and her face pales.

"I guess he really had to go back to hell," Ella says faintly.

Chloe doesn't say anything but nods, once. An unexpected tear runs down her face though and Ella blinks before giving her a quick, fierce hug. Afterwards, Ella doesn't bring up Lucifer's name again.

Dan offers to become Chloe's partner out on the field and after a moment's hesitation, she agrees. He's trying to be kind. Dan's competent enough, but they don't always solve as many cases as she and Lucifer did. He had had names and contacts that sometimes made the difference in cracking a case.

Chloe's life seemed to become a bit greyer from then on. Sometimes she thought about talking things over with Linda, but she's busy raising Charlie, her half-angel baby with Amenadiel and has enough on her plate. Besides, Linda would be making noises about 'moving on' and Chloe doesn't need a therapist to tell her that.

When a year has passed, Chloe receives a letter from a legal firm that states if Lucifer has not been in Lux for a year and a day, then two things are to be carried out. Firstly, that a college fund be set up for Trixie to attend the college of her choice one day.

Secondly, if Chloe and Trixie ever need a place to stay, they can stay at his penthouse indefinitely. It was a kind thing for Lucifer to do and she tries to fight the tears that well up inside of her again. She's cried enough and has to move on.

As it turned out, Eve returned recently to Lux to be with Maze and now they are both an item. Eve styles herself the unofficial Queen of Lux, which pulls the crowds in.

The years move swiftly by.

Charlie doesn't develop wings and Amenadiel confesses to Chloe that he's relieved, because the Silver City is less likely to forcibly remove him at some stage, 'for his own good'. Charlie does grow up to be smarter and stronger than most mortals, so his parents have their hands full teaching him about fitting in when necessary. He also has a gleam similar to Lucifer's in his eyes that makes him a hit with the ladies one day. He talks about being a detective 'just like Aunt Chloe'.

Sometimes Amenadiel quietly asks Chloe if she's ok, sympathy in his eyes. She pastes a smile on her face and says yes. She tries looking forward these days, not looking back. Her work keeps her busy.

From time to time, Ella tries to set Chloe up on a blind date, but she always says no. She's looked into her heart and there's no more room for someone new.

Trixie goes to a good law school when she's older and eventually becomes a successful lawyer that's on the way up. She's smart and little escapes her in the court room.

Then one day time runs out for Chloe.

TBC

A/N: So, I thought that if Chloe was immune to the Lucifer charm, what if Trixie had a special way of knowing Lucifer really was different.


	2. Reunion

TW for character death in this chapter.

Chloe had had some time off work, it's so long since she's had a vacation. There's a break between cases anyway, so she's gone to a little town up in the mountains. She's been thinking lately of writing down about her time with Lucifer, get it down on record. Although she's a bit worried that it might be found one day by church officials who lock it away as heresy and blasphemy. Or burn it.

She's never written a novel in her life, but maybe instead try and write one about a duo who solve crimes. She's a by-the-book cop, he's a reckless but dashing mystery man who likes to see the guilty punished, sometimes by his own hand. Chloe can think of Lucifer without pain these days. That's what she tells herself. Then she shakes her head. She doesn't have time to write a novel, she thinks ruefully. That would have to wait until she retired.

Chloe walks into a store to get supplies, only to see a robbery in progress. The culprit is an anxious young man wanting cash and cigarettes from the owner, not wanting trouble.

Chloe speaks soothingly, managing to negotiate with the would-be robber. She's out of her jurisdiction, but hopefully she won't have to ask for backup.

But then his accomplice comes in from the open delivery door at the back, impatient and agitated at the delay.

Chloe turns to face the new threat, but she's a fraction too slow and his gun fires at her. She feels a sharp pain in her neck and crumples to the floor, the life fading from her. She's had near-misses and brushes with death over the years, but now she knows her lucks run out… she's going to die a similar way to her father. With sorrow she thinks of Trixie, who she will never see again. She thinks of Lucifer, whom she would have liked to see again, even just once. She never stopped loving him.

She hears the sound of footsteps running away, the shouting of the store owner.

Then there's the sound of vast wings and to her surprise, Lucifer is there, kneeling at her side and worry on his handsome face. He hasn't aged a day, which underlines the fact that he was never of this earth.

"Detective… you needed me and I wasn't at your side. I'm sorry," he says, his voice laced with grief.

His warm hand touches hers and she clutches at it with her last energy. He clasps her hand in his and carefully pulls her to her feet.

Chloe doesn't question why he's suddenly here after all these years, or why she's able to stand up at all.

"Lucifer? I missed you so much," she gulps and hugs him. He's dressed as if he's just stepped out of Lux, instead of ruling hell. What do you wear as a ruler of hell? He hugs her tightly in return and it's like they were never apart.

"I've had to stay in hell all this time, Detective, but when this moment came, not even Dad could keep me from your side," he says with quiet intensity against her hair.

"What-" Chloe begins to say, but she knows. She knows when she looks down and sees her crumpled body on the floor. She sways a bit, though.

Lucifer touches her cheek softly and she looks back at him.

"I'm sorry, Chloe," he said gently.

"I was on holiday," she burst out in frustration and she starts crying, a mixture of emotions inside her – for her life that's now over, her joy at seeing Lucifer again. He's as ancient as the brightly burning stars that were his namesake, something she can only properly realise now. Nevertheless, something inside her firmly says 'mine' when she looks at him.

He holds her again and lets her cry over his black jacket. When she's calmed down a bit, Lucifer looks down at her intently, taking her hand and drawing her off to the side, where she doesn't have to look at her body on the floor. The store owner had rushed up to her and is now calling on his phone for an ambulance… too late, she thinks sadly.

"I can take you to the gates of the Silver City myself," he says seriously, sounding every inch the angel he once started out as. "Not even Dad would fault me for doing that, and Dad knows, you've earned a place there."

Chloe blinks. He would actually do that for her?

Then he hesitates.

"Or," he says almost tentatively, "you could come with me, Detective."

"With you?" she repeats. Does he mean what she thinks he means?

He nods, his next words falling rapidly from his mouth.

"Yes, I've got a replica of Lux and the penthouse down there, looking even better than the real thing – that's a perk of being a king – with all of the chocolate body paint you could desire to put all over me."

With those last words he gives her that cheeky smirk she remembers so well, but she can see too the almost terrible yearning in his eyes. The loneliness.

It's an easy decision to make in the end.

"My home is where you are," she says simply, smiling up at him.

Lucifer stares at her and looks visibly shaken.

"It is?" he blurts out, looking like a lost little boy for a moment. "But – the Silver City. No one turns down the chance to go there."

"It wouldn't be home without you," Chloe says patiently. Then she narrows her eyes and pokes a finger gently in his chest.

"Because if you think you're leaving me again and not taking me with you this time," she says sternly, "you're in big trouble!"

Lucifer blinked, then smiled at Chloe.

"Ooh, I've missed my bossy detective," he purrs and his voice only sounds a bit wobbly.

"Just as well," she smiles, then hesitates.

"What?" Lucifer says urgently, imagining all kinds of things she might say.

"Could I at least visit the Silver City from time to time? My father…" she says hesitantly.

Lucifer nods.

"Of course. Yes," he says instantly. "I can ask Amenadiel to take you there and back, it will give him some exercise… stop those wings of his going rusty."

From where she stood unseen in the shadows, Azrael smiled to herself before leaving. She knows she will be reprimanded when she returns to the Silver City without one Detective Chloe Decker. But Chloe has made her choice and Azrael will respect that. Also, she will point out there was at least the possibility that Lucifer would have stormed the gates of the Silver City, demanding to see Chloe. Something tells her any fuss will die down quickly after that.

Then it's Lucifer's turn to hesitate.

"And if you decide to stay at the Silver City, well, I'll understand-,"

His words are cut off when Chloe grabs hold of his black jacket and reaches up to kiss him firmly. Lucifer froze for a second before kissing her back hungrily, tasting the sweetness of her mouth. Then his mouth gentled and he kissed her tenderly. Chloe kissed him back, feeling warmth flow through her. Her life, such as it was now, felt like colour was returning again.

When they paused for breath, Chloe looked up at him soberly.

"Lucifer, in those first years after you left me, that was a type of hell for me at times. So going with you to actual hell… well, call me nuts, but if I'm with you, it'll be all right."

He touched her cheek softly again.

"You didn't marry again? No more urchins running around?" he asked gently.

Chloe shook her head. "No. No, I couldn't. There was no one else after you. I never stopped loving you," she said simply.

Lucifer blinked down at her then held her tightly against him for a moment.

"Well, then, love, let's get you home. The neighbourhood's a bit rough, but the people will adore you. I've been waiting for my queen all this time, after all."

He concentrated for a second and then vast white wings sprang from his back.

Chloe's mouth dropped open slightly. She could see up close how large a wingspan he had, how soft and shining each white feather looked. She had never forgotten the sight of his wings before he had left her.

"They're so beautiful," she whispered, awe on her face.

The wings puffed up a bit happily in response to her praise.

"Can I touch a wing?" she asked wistfully, prepared to hear a 'no'.

"You can touch me everywhere, Detective," Lucifer said encouragingly.

Chloe shook her head fondly. "I'd almost forgotten you're part randy teenager."

"Hey!" he said in mock protest. "Randy, yes, teenager, definitely not."

Chloe smiled as she walked around to his back and gently stroked some feathers. They felt warm and smooth to her touch and seemed to look brighter afterwards.

She hears Lucifer hum at her caresses.

"Yes, definitely taking you home with me, Detective. You can do that any time you like," he said happily.

Chloe chuckled as she walked back around to his front.

He smiled down at her. "Here we go. Hold on," he said gently and swept her off her feet as if she weighed nothing, holding her close to his chest.

Then she sensed rather than saw a vast gate opening right up underneath their feet and then the ground tilted under and over in a way that threatened to disorient her. Chloe gasped and then the landscape changed… they were flying over a vast grey plain, the sky a stormy grey with an ashy tinge. The air was warm, but not oppressively so to her senses.

Chloe could hear the sound of his wings as they made steady, even strokes through the air.

We're actually flying, she thought, dazed. It was like something from Superman.

Chloe could see a huge city below now, each building whether small or tall a uniform grey, each window shining with a light. She felt a bit cold inside at the sight, for this was where people who went to hell resided. This was hell, where she would be queen, if Lucifer had his way. How had this all happened to her again?

Then she shook her head. Maybe it was best to think of it as a special prison. She worked – had worked – at the LAPD, she was accustomed to prisons. She could see too a black, grim looking castle that looked like it promised that if you went in, you might not come out. There was a tall, rocky spire nearby; what was that all about?

Then Chloe saw a familiar, tall white building off to the side that gleamed softly, looking like it had just been transported from LA. It was where Lux and the penthouse was, though she had never seen it from this perspective before. She was relieved at the sight, though.

"We've arrived… thank you for flying Air Morningstar," Lucifer said lightly as they started to descend, looking down at Chloe searchingly to see how she was coping.

She smiled back up at him. It was a shaky smile, but he was relieved to see it was genuine.

"Hope there's a duty free shop," she teased and he laughed out loud as he landed carefully on the balcony of his penthouse.

Chloe's old life was over, but her new life had just begun, she thought.

TBC


	3. Lord of Hell and Karaoke

Lucifer hadn't originally intended to come back for Chloe. After he had returned to Hell, he had had to put Earth out of his mind while he spent a long time quelling rebellions and revolutions, letting his subjects know who was king. Hell itself had become a bit unstuck, which needed seeing too as well.

Lucifer had missed his penthouse and Lux though… he wanted them back. He had a bleak looking castle with an impressive throne room, but that wasn't quite him anymore. He had become accustomed to the glitz and luxury of LA.

Also, his piano playing.

So, he summoned a complete replica of his LA home and put it where a bubbling black swamp used to be (that sort of thing was so two centuries ago, he wouldn't miss it). He also made it clear to Hell itself that he didn't want any falling ash anywhere near his penthouse, too. No ash on his Armani.

But then Hell sulked and tried to fight back at what it saw as an unnecessary building. If you had asked it what home and interior decoration it truly desired, it would have thought about it and replied with, 'something black and scorched inside and out, accentuated with the sounds of distant screaming'.

Lucifer had snapped that a bit of modernisation never hurt any underground realm.

Then there was that time he had revealed his angel wings, just to check they were still there. Remembering the wonder on Chloe's face - amidst her tears – when she had seen his white wings before he left her.

Well, that had sent another wave of panic through his subjects, because apparently his wings – each feather - now apparently glowed with dads own light like they hadn't before. So that plus his new real estate led to more rebellions and tearful accusations of 'earth made you soft, sire!'. He had sighed and done more quelling and explaining that if anything around here was soft, it wasn't him. Right? Right.

_Remembering the wonder on Chloe's face…_

A subject, hoping to curry favour, asked if the red soles of his black Louboutin boots were that way because they were 'red with the blood of your enemies, sire!'.

It was going to be a long reign.

However, Hell responded with some subtle revenge. _Somehow_ a karaoke machine found its way into Lux II and _somehow_ his subjects were told this was a great evening's entertainment after a day of handing out punishments. Suddenly the nightclub wasn't that bad after all in their eyes and Lucifer found himself hosting regular karaoke evenings where some of his subjects tried valiantly to 'sing' songs from a catalogue that included _Greatest '70's Disco Hits! _and _Best Songs from the '80's._

It was enough to make him want to toss his piano out of a bloody window, honest to dad.

He could even hear Hell sniggering to itself in response.

But Chloe? No, it was best if he didn't come back for Chloe. Let her live her life without him, find happiness in someone else's arms. Maybe a new urchin or two? A fulfilling life before a peaceful death, ascending afterwards to the Silver City that would be gladly waiting for her.

Never mind that the thought of his Detective in someone else's arms made his eyes glow red and his hands want to shred the nearest twenty things.

He found out that a link of some kind had been forged between him and Chloe. It would have been so easy to destroy it, but he found himself reluctant to do so, so only reduced it as much as he could so it wouldn't bring him pain. It meant that he knew her general location on earth, but nothing more than that.

Perhaps it was this link that kept him going entirely off the rails. That and the piano… although his subjects learnt to avoid him when the piano playing sounded too maddened or despairing.

The years passed by, then one day he felt the link flare with the sudden agony and shock of knowing Chloe had been fatally shot. He could sense the life fading from her… one of her last wistful thoughts is of him.

Lucifer had never left hell so fast in his life.

When he sees Chloe Decker dying on the floor of a store in some nowhere town, all his memories of her come flooding back. The love he felt for her.

Chloe had been shot – who was the lowlife who dared do such a thing? He's only halfway back into Earth's physical plane, but he's tempted to manifest fully and hunt down the one who did this. Oh, Lucifer wouldn't actually kill the lowlife – he doesn't really want to kill another human – but he could have a little… talk. Said talk would leave them a gibbering mess for the rest of their pathetic life, but Lucifer wouldn't have laid an actual hand on them. Well, not much.

Never mind. When the lowlife comes down to hell, Lucifer will know. The sin of having killed his Detective will make them stand out like a beacon and it will be one of the special cells for them. Then Lucifer will have the little talk. He will enjoy it. They won't.

But right now, Chloe needs him. As she draws her last breath, he holds her hand and her bright soul steps up and away from her body as easily as shedding an old coat, looking young again like she did when they first met outside Lux.

The first thing she does with a catch in her voice is to say she missed him, and Lucifer realises he can't let her go again. Even though he should. He even tries to do the right thing by offering to take her to the Silver City gates.

But the Detective wants to be with him - him instead. And nothing is ever the same for him again.

Lucifer carries Chloe down into hell cradled in his arms like she's the most precious thing in the universe. He has to concentrate on his flying but he's relieved she hasn't started panicking like any other human would. She's made of strong stuff, his Detective.

However, when Hell registered – with relief actually - that he had returned, it then focused in surprise on the soul of a woman – a good one - he was carrying. This was something new. New wasn't always good with Lucifer.

_?_ Hell spoke mentally to Lucifer.

_Yes, I'm back_, Lucifer replied mentally in return. _This is the lovely soul of Detective Chloe Decker, who was my partner in the LAPD on earth. She's going to be my queen, so be nice._

Hell looked even more closely at this Chloe and recoiled. There was a shining quality to her soul that few had.

_!God-touched!_

_Yes_, Lucifer agreed pleasantly with a hint of iron in his tone. _Isn't she just? And she chose to be with me of her own free will instead of the Silver City when she died. _

When Lucifer had originally found out that Chloe had been Dad-sent into his life, he had been furious and yes, heart-broken. Then he had realised she still had free will – for Chloe had nearly married Cain, fleeing to Europe with her urchin out of terror when she had seen his devil face and nearly destroying him when she returned to LA.

Turning to Eve and nearly losing himself in her had been a way of punishing Chloe for her betrayal. But then Chloe had come back to him slowly but surely, being willing to risk her life for his when Lux itself had nearly been destroyed. Her kindness and determination to help when his devil form tried to overwhelm him. Her love.

Then he had had to leave, leaving Chloe in sorrow for years after, for he had just seen the truth of this in her eyes. He wanted to make up for the lost years now, never making her regret she had given up the Silver City for him. She doesn't realise how precious a gift she's given him.

_Chloe Decker chose me_, he said to Hell in quiet wonder.

If Hell could have a headache, it was having one now. It tried a different tack.

_She died._ It was a statement, rather than a question.

_She was shot and killed. On her bloody holiday, too,_ Lucifer replied, with hot rage and fury in every word.

Hell relaxed somewhat. This was familiar territory.

_They will come to us one day for punishment_, Hell said with certainty. If this Chloe was to be Lucifer's queen, then it was right that her killer would spent every moment in hell in torment. It would reserve its judgement on Chloe for now.

_Oh yes_, Lucifer replied with soft menace before breaking off the connection.

Lucifer still needed to be punished for this, Hell decided. It thought about it and decided it would add a new section of songs to the karaoke catalogue to punish Lucifer for this new presumption. Hmm, cheesy love songs from lots of decades? Perfect. It would be fun to see Lucifer swear under his breath in seven languages again when he found out. It was amazing how fun this kind of torment was when it didn't even involve sharp pointy objects. Maybe this Chloe would be a fan of karaoke when Lucifer definitely wasn't? Even better.

When Lucifer landed on the balcony with Chloe, he gently placed her on her feet. She smiled at him but her blue eyes looked a bit wide-eyed still after their flight and everything that has happened to her today. It will take her a while to process everything, but he sees that she wants to try. That's the main thing.

His wings instinctively start wrapping themselves gently around the Detective to comfort her.

"It's like a big feather blanket," Chloe remarked with a chuckle but embraced him in return, resting her face against his chest for a moment.

There's an odd but welcome feeling being in her arms now, Lucifer thinks. It feels like home.

TBC


	4. The Other Penthouse

With the softness of Lucifer's wings wrapped around her as well as his arms, it felt like a double embrace, Chloe thought. Then he kissed her tenderly and released her.

He shrugged his shoulders a little bit and the vast wings withdrew, folding themselves up neatly and vanishing into his back. Somehow.

"That's just amazing," she said honestly, peering around his back to see where the wings had gone.

There was laughter in Lucifer's eyes, but not unkindly so as he took her hand and drew her into the penthouse.

When Chloe stepped inside, she looked around her in surprise… it was just like the one in LA.

"It all looks exactly the same… did you really do all this by yourself?"

Lucifer looked pleased.

"Yes, although I had to lie down afterwards and think of whiskey."

"Oh, there's the piano," Chloe exclaimed as she walked over to it. She looked down silently at the piano for a moment, trailing her hand over the shiny black surface.

"I would go back to Lux after you had left. Maze had taken over but she would let me come upstairs sometimes just to sit and…" she shrugged but her voice quivered a bit.

"Sometimes I could convince myself that you would walk out of the elevator at any moment. But then one day, I noticed that the piano was dusty. Maze was busy and wouldn't let many other people up there. She didn't play the piano and it was one of those little things that really let me know that you wouldn't be coming back again. Because you loved that piano."

Chloe blinked and realised she couldn't see the piano through her tears.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled as she reached up to wipe her eyes. "I haven't cried this much in ages."

Lucifer came and stood by her, looking down at her soberly.

"Detective, you've just been cast out of the world you knew, into one that's completely different. You'll be feeling angry and sad at times. If there's anyone who understands, it's me… but you're not alone. If you want to cry all over me or use me as a pillow, whatever helps, you can."

"Thank you," Chloe said with a shaky smile.

"Also, it helps to rub my-"

Chloe raised her eyebrows.

"-feathers," he continued smoothly, a sparkle in his dark eyes. "They do love detectives touching them."

Chloe rolled her eyes, realising how much she had missed doing that too.

Lucifer sat down at the piano, patting the seat beside him. Chloe didn't need any more encouragement and did so. He put an arm around her back for a moment, giving her a gentle squeeze.

He then started playing music that was light and soothing, designed to help people relax.

The notes rippled into the air and Chloe sat and listened to the music that seemed to go on for a long time, a smile on her face and some of her tension unwinding. This was something she was glad to experience again too.

While he was playing, Lucifer was thinking it was surprising that his sister Azrael hadn't intercepted him before he brought Chloe down here. Perhaps she had recognised that Chloe had freely chosen to go with him, or that Azrael thought she might have had a fight on her hands if she had tried to take the Detective to the Silver City against her will. The Detective vs his sister! That would have been fun to watch (but maybe not for his sister). Anyway, he owed Azrael a favour. Whether she came to collect it one day, remained to be seen.

After a while, Lucifer paused.

"I especially needed a piano again when I returned... but my subjects still don't know what to think of this. This is just another of my decadent earth ways, to them."

He sounded melancholy to Chloe's ears. There were lots of different ways to be lonely, Chloe thought.

"Well, I'm glad you had your piano for company," she said.

Something caught her eye and she turned to look, frowning slightly.

"Lucifer, when you look out of that window, it looks like the same view of LA as before through that window," she questioned, her mind whirring.

Lucifer sighed.

"Just because I came back, doesn't mean I want to see Hell now every time I look out of these windows. So I had them changed to LA time," he explained.

Perhaps it was a way of knowing what time of the day or night it was for the Detective, he thought. Whether she was working or sleeping.

Chloe shook her head in wonder, her mind struggling to make sense of it all. The laws of physics were certainly different here.

"It's like magic, something from Harry Potter."

Trixie had had the complete set of the Harry Potter books and there were lots of times she had wanted them read to her.

"Oh, you figured it out, you clever Ravenclaw. Are you going to ask me where my magic wand is?" he asked with a purr in his voice as he turned to look at her.

"No," Chloe said firmly, though her lips twitched.

"So, Detective, what house would you put me in," he asked lightly but there was a serious look in his eyes.

Chloe thought carefully.

"Well, some people would say Slytherin straight away. But you're clever and speak different languages; you helped me solved cases I couldn't have always solved by myself, which says Ravenclaw to me."

At that, Lucifer gave her a smug smile, looking pleased with himself.

Chloe continued.

"Of course you were also reckless and had a big ego, thought you were irresistible to everyone in the room, that says Gryffindor to me," she said with a smile.

"Detective!" Lucifer said, pretending to be offended and pouting. "Of course I was irresistible to everyone, except to you at first. Most annoying, really. Couldn't lure you into bed at all."

Then his voice gentled. "You're also a bit of a Gryffindor girl yourself, Detective. Your job requires bravery and you had that in spades."

Chloe bit her lip for a moment.

"I wasn't always brave when I should have been with you," she said sadly, thinking of the mess with Father Kinley. "I nearly ruined things between us because I wasn't brave enough."

"Water under the bridge, Detective. Besides, being willing to come down here – for me – takes a bravery I've seen in no other. I love you, Detective," Lucifer said softly.

"I love you too, Lucifer," Chloe said softly and he leaned down slightly to kiss her tenderly. She put an arm around his neck and kissed him back. It's been a long time since they were last together, and neither of them really wanted to rush things right now. But Chloe lifted a hand to run it through his dark hair and he sighed against her mouth, nipping her lower lip teasingly. Then he drew back before gently pressing his forehead against hers. Dark eyes gazed down into blue, both of them pleased to be this close to the other again. Then the moment passed, but they know there will be more.

Chloe looked over at the wall of bottles, backlit by soft golden light. She feels like it's the first day at a new workplace, where she knows she has to learn the unwritten rules as well as the written.

"Can you have a drink here?" she asked in curiosity.

Lucifer shook his dark head with genuine regret.

"No, Detective, and isn't that a big sin! And I should know. But you can't eat or drink down here. Oh, I can pour myself a whisky and look like I'm sipping it, but it's just an illusion," he said wistfully. "It doesn't go anywhere when I swallow or do anything."

"So, if we can't eat or drink, then how come I don't feel hungry or thirsty?" Chloe asked in honest confusion.

Lucifer looked at her with a faint smile, and it seemed to Chloe that he was looking right into her.

"You're a child of Dad, with a link to him like all other humans. Once you're dead, that link kicks in even more strongly and keeps you full of energy, even down here. Better than coffee… one thing I can actually thank Dad for."

There's another thing that's trying to get Chloe's attention. She looks down at her hands and notes how smooth they look… younger, somehow.

"Do you have a mirror? I don't think I look the same as I did when I woke up this morning," she confessed.

His dark eyes softened. "You look like my partner, Chloe, but yes, I can show you a mirror. Come with me."

Lucifer stood up from the piano and started walking towards the hallway, Chloe following. He stopped at one closed door.

"Everything beyond this door is yours, Detective, including a mirror. I know there's time you'll want some privacy, time to yourself. Especially now."

He smiled to take away any sting.

"Thank you, Lucifer," Chloe said honestly. "That means… that means a lot."

Lucifer hesitated and then looked like a little boy for a moment. "And when you don't want to be alone any more, Detective, well, I'll be out here. I have my complete DVD and Blu-ray library. No live TV, unfortunately, I'd like to complain to someone about that. But we can watch something?" he said hopefully.

Chloe smiled at him, her blue eyes softening. "That sounds good," she agreed. Then it was her turn to hesitate.

"And maybe… you'd like your feathers rubbed too? Apparently, that's good luck," she offered.

Lucifer's eyes brightened. "Yes, Detective," he said warmly before walking away.

Chloe smiled and then opened the door, curious to see what was beyond.

TBC


	5. A Room of her Own

Chloe sees a large bedroom decorated in understated luxury in shades of coffee and cream, with the occasional gold touch. It's all fancier than Chloe's been used to, but she's not about to complain. There's a comfortable looking bed with a bedside table that has a golden lamp on it, a dresser she can sit at with a mirror to look at. The wardrobe takes up one whole wall with sleek looking sliding doors. There's another door in a wall. No window, something she can feel a bit grateful for. There's the scent of vanilla is in the air.

A full length mirror is on one wall and Chloe goes and stands in front of it.

Surprised, she stared at her reflection dressed in the pale blue blazer and matching slacks she had put on this morning, something nice for a holiday. The years have rolled away and she looks younger again. The fine lines and wrinkles that were starting to etch themselves on her face have gone… the silver gilt as well creeping into her hair. Her middle aged spread has disappeared too – the job kept her fit but there was a lot of comfort food eating in the first year that Lucifer left and some of it stuck to her waist ever after.

Chloe fished automatically in her pocket for her phone to take a selfie, but it's not there. She feels a bit sick when she realises her police badge is gone as well, as is everything else that identified her as Chloe Decker, Detective with the LAPD. No handbag. She's only got the clothes on her back… she's dead and she can't go home ever again.

Oh, she knew she was going to die one day. In her line of work there's a good chance she would have died on the job anyway. But not yet… not today, damn it.

Chloe can't tell her daughter Trixie one last time that she loved her.

She sat down on the bed and put her head in her hands, trying not to panic. She's not trapped, she thought. Hadn't Lucifer said she could go and visit the Silver City whenever she wanted? Even stay there, permanently. She would be able to see her daughter again one day.

But no, she doesn't want to leave Lucifer, either. Chloe knows she would never be able to see him again if she stayed in the Silver City… she doesn't want to break his heart like that. But she knows he wants to make things as comfortable for her as he can down here. Hadn't Lucifer said he knew how she would be feeling right now too? She can do this, one step at a time. She has to try.

But she's starting to feel a bit panicked again. She took off her shoes and climbed into bed even with her all her clothes on. Could she sleep in Hell? Another thing to ask Lucifer about. Chloe pulled the covers up and over her face and curling up, stared into the dark for a long time as the tears came again.

Sometime later she wondered if she had slept after all. Chloe's not entirely sure, but it feels like time had passed by and she feels somewhat better. Not entirely, but she doesn't think she's going to panic again.

Chloe sat up and got up and out of bed. She looked down at her clothes and her skin started to crawl. These are the clothes – or rather, a perfect copy of them – that she died in. She wants to take them off and never see them again. After rubbing a hand over her face, she looked at the dresser and then the wardrobe. Might as well look and see what's in them, though if there's only scantily clad clothes to wear, Lucifer will have hell to pay. Well, didn't that joke come out weird. Chloe shook her head.

She strode over to the dresser and sat down. There were some pretty glass vials of perfume and a silver brush and comb set on the top. At one end there was a jewellery box made of carved wood. She would look at that later, she thought as curiosity stirred inside of her.

Chloe pulled open the top drawer that had unopened makeup in tidy containers waiting for her; eyeshadow, lipstick and other things. Hair accessories. A smile tugged at her lips as she opened the second drawer. There were some bras in various shades of pastel and matching underwear trimmed in lace. Towards the back of the drawer there were more bras and underwear but they're more colourful and luxurious looking, with embroidery and lace a feature. Chloe narrowed her eyes and then smiled. Lucifer is obviously hedging his bets and thinking if she doesn't like one lot, she'll prefer the other.

The next drawer is full of tops similar to what she wears underneath her blazers at work and she nods in appreciation. The drawer under that is full of baggy jumpers in various colours made of comfortable fabric. Chloe pulled out a grey jumper and a grey top from the drawer above. She doesn't feel like wearing colourful clothes right now.

Chloe put the two items of clothing on the bed and then walked over to the wardrobe and pulled open the first sliding door. Hanging on black velvet hangers are blazers and trousers similar to what she wore at work. Beside them are leggings and some skirts she'd be happy to wear if she was going to have coffee with a friend. Chloe took down a black pair of leggings and put them on the bed. There's a shoe rack on the floor with shoes and boots that would go nicely with the clothes.

Chloe is about to get changed when she notices that there's still more room in the wardrobe. She shut the sliding door and then opened the other one. She blinked.

"Oh, Lucifer," she sighed. "You shouldn't have."

Firstly, are some beautiful black dresses in silk and satin. Then there are the finer dresses; one in red lace with a matching slip. A low cut dress in blue satin matching her eyes that looks like something to wear to an opera. A sexy looking number that looks like it's made from golden feathers – hopefully she won't look like Big Bird when she wears that! Somehow she doubts it. There are other beautiful outfits and matching shoes for those clothes as well.

Shaking her head in bemusement she went to the bed and changed her clothes, putting her blue jacket and trousers aside. Chloe didn't want to see them ever again. After a moment of indecision she put her socks and black ankle boots back on. Her hair is a warm gold now but a bit of a mess, so she sat at the dresser and put her hair down, giving it a good brush. It's still weird seeing her younger face in the mirror.

She hasn't looked at the other door… Chloe went over and opened it, curious to see what was on the other side. There was a small landing with two wooden doors. The first door led to a bathroom with soft, hidden lighting and a big sunken tub with gently steaming water in it, apparently ready for whenever she wanted a bath. There was a thick, warm looking white towel on a rack ready for her too. Chloe sighed. It did look tempting, though she feels like she should be taking down notes. In Hell you can't eat or drink, but maybe sleep and also have a bath. Perhaps hot water is easier to manifest in Hell? It made some kind of sense.

Chloe withdrew from the bathroom and back in the landing, opened the other door. It led to an office painted in white and she smiled, relieved to have this to retreat to if she wanted. It looked similar to something at work, with a desk with an inbox tray on it and pens lined up neatly. No laptop though, but there's a small stack of exercise books, blank journals and notepads. There are a set of drawers and the chair looks just like her one at work, too. An empty bookshelf stands against one wall and an abstract painting of blues and gold hangs on another wall. It seems like a lifetime ago but only this morning she was thinking about one day writing a novel about a crime-fighting duo.

Chloe might have the time to try and write from now on, but she can just imagine Lucifer peering excitedly over her shoulder, keen to see what she's just written, commenting out loud that 'his' character should be portrayed in a more sexy, irresistible way, saying twice as many of his naughty one-liners that somehow should have gotten him into more trouble in LA, but didn't.

All these rooms – for her – are more than she expected and she's grateful. Chloe found herself wondering if Lucifer's bedroom here in the penthouse was just the same as before.

In the Silver City, where no shadows fell in the elegant boulevards and streets lined with chatting, laughing people watched over by grave angels, there was a pretty courtyard with a fountain of white marble and sparkling water in the centre.

At some distance from the fountain, a huge block of fine white marble threaded with black had appeared, which gained it some curious looks from those passing by. Slowly, the outer edges started to look blurred, as if someone invisible had started chipping away at the marble. What it would look like when finished, remained to be seen.

TBC


	6. Something to Watch

When Chloe left her new rooms, she could hear Lucifer at the piano again.

With a smile coming to her face, she walked over to him. Lucifer paused in his playing of a waltz (this type of song is clearly the Detective's fault) and turned on his seat to face her when he saw her approach.

"Thank you for the rooms you've given me, and the clothes too," she said, feeling a bit awkward. It was really all a bit more than she expected.

"That's all right, Detective," Lucifer replied, his dark eyes warm. Then in a gentler voice he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I did have a bad moment or two when I realised I only had the clothes on my back," she admitted. "And I didn't even want to wear those, in the end."

_Because I had died in them_, were her unspoken words that hung in the air.

Lucifer reached out and took one of her hands.

"I'll only say this once," he said seriously. "The lowlife that shot you; if they get away with it up there, then they won't down here. I promise you."

There's the flicker of red in his dark eyes for a moment, the scent of something burning in the air as well. Chloe's reminded anew that he's the Lord of Hell, punisher of the guilty.

There a look in Lucifer's eyes begging her not to argue with him and Chloe nods in the end. She does hope her killer will face justice in the law courts first.

"I won't forget the sight of seeing you lying on the floor like that any time soon, Detective," he said, his voice sounding ragged.

They're both hurting and upset in their own way by her untimely death, she realises, even though it was what brought them back together.

Chloe swallows. "It was a horrible experience," she says honestly. "I'm still trying to deal with it. But it was wonderful seeing you again. Still wonderful, actually," she adds gently.

Lucifer's face brightened at that and he drew Chloe onto his lap, holding her tightly with his face against her neck like he'll never let her go, kissing the soft skin there. She feels like a softly shining star next to him and he should know, he had placed countless stars in the actual sky for Dad. Chloe put her arms around him in return and they both held each other close.

"Cuddly detective… my favourite," he purred after a moment and then lifted his head.

"Did you find the mirror you were after," he enquired, winding some of her long golden hair gently around his fingers.

Chloe nodded, trying not be too distracted by sitting on Lucifer's lap and being cuddled. "It's amazing that I'm younger again… like someone hit a rewind button. If you could bottle that in LA, you'd make a fortune," she mused.

She then remembered the other question she was going to ask. "Can you sleep here, Lucifer?"

He gives her that look again, like he's peering inside her. "Yes, you can when you want to, Detective. Sleep when you're dead and all that. You can also go for a long time between sleep like I can down here."

There's a sparkle now in his dark eyes that she doesn't quite trust and he runs a finger lightly down her thigh, making her quiver inside. "Did you find the bathroom to your liking, Detective?" he enquired.

Chloe had to nod though. "Yes, it's lovely," she agreed.

"I've also got a hot tub," he purred.

Chloe put her hand over her eyes for a moment, reminded anew of the infamous film _Hot Tub High School_ she had made as a teenager. "Argh, I walked straight into that one, didn't I," she said with feeling.

Then she put on a fake accent. "Whatever happened to actress Chloe Decker? Oh, she went and did _Hot Tub Hell_, in actual Hell!"

Lucifer laughed out loud. "That would be very method of you, Detective, well done."

"No," Chloe said firmly.

Lucifer pouted.

Chloe relented. "Well… maybe. One day. If you behave."

"Yes, Detective," he said happily.

"Do you still want to watch something together?" he then said hopefully.

Chloe nodded. "Yes. That would be nice, actually."

Lucifer lifted her in his arms and placed her gently on the floor. "It's movie-watching time, then. No popcorn, sorry. Remember that the remote always belongs to me here."

Chloe rolled her eyes as she followed him over to where the big-screen TV was with the couch and a stack of DVD's on the coffee table.

"Nice try, Lucifer. What is it with men and remotes?" she grumbled.

A thought came to her head. "I'm not keeping you from your actual work, here, am I?" she asked a bit awkwardly. What is a typical day for him here anyway?

"Not to worry, Detective, delegation is a good word in every language. I currently have a council made up of five generals who are overseeing things right now."

It's not the same council that was here when he first returned to Hell, but this lot know better than to annoy him without good reason; they know what he did to Dromos when he first got back. He's also mentally told his generals that Lux II is closed for the moment until Chloe is a bit more settled and ready to be introduced to some of his subjects. He can tell they're curious about the woman who descended to Hell to be with their king. However, the next major step will be to introduce Chloe to Hell itself…

Lucifer picked up the first two DVD's. "So, Ladyhawke or The Princess Bride?" he asked cheerfully, waving The Princess Bride at her.

"All right, The Princess Bride," she sighed though there was amusement in her eyes. The film was one of Trixie's favourites.

Lucifer looked pleased and went to get it ready for watching.

Chloe narrowed her eyes. "You just want to be Dread Pirate Roberts, don't you," she said suspiciously.

Lucifer whirled to face her. "I would be the best at chasing evil pirates – the most stylish, anyway," he said grandly.

They then both sat down on the couch close together, his arm around her. Chloe was still hurting inside from everything, but this would help a bit, she thought, snuggling up to Lucifer as the film started. Thinking of those she had left behind.

Meanwhile, in LA that night, a tired Dan Espinoza received a call that made his stomach sink down to his shoes. A call asking him if he was the next-of-kin of one Detective Chloe Decker.

TBC


	7. Those Left Behind

I've been delayed in updating this story thanks to writing two Lucifer stories for Whumptober, but I hope to update more regularly from now on. This was a tricky chapter to write as well.

**hpter Text**

Dan was shocked and felt blindsided by the fact that Chloe had been killed on her holiday out of town, but nevertheless took down the details he was being given by the police. Apparently, she had walked into a store with a robbery in progress. There had been two assailants, with one fatally shooting her when she had been trying to de-escalate things.

She had died like her father had, Dan thought unhappily, but she had been a cop to the last.

The suspects were still at large, but a police manhunt was currently underway for them. Yes, of course he would come as soon as possible to identify Chloe Decker.

Hell.

How was he supposed to tell Beatrice?

Chloe had been a solid partner over the years, though there had been times when she was clearly just going through the motions. Dan blamed Lucifer for this, for she had never been quite the same after he had upped and left under mysterious circumstances years ago. Dan had privately thought Lucifer had been some sort of retired crime boss all along and his past had caught up with him in a nasty way. He would be surprised if Lucifer turned up at the funeral.

Afterwards, as he got a beer from the fridge with shaking hands, Dan hadn't realised how much he would miss his ex-wife until she was no longer there.

He'll tell Beatrice in the morning.

Early next morning before she started work at her law firm, Beatrice was surprised to get a text message from her father asking if he could come over as soon as possible. She had initially thought the text might be from her mother, but she's on her holiday right now and probably enjoying some well-deserved down time.

A feeling of uneasiness in her, Beatrice texted a 'yes' back in reply and continued to rush around her apartment getting ready for the day ahead. Thanks to Maze over the years teaching her a mixture of keeping fit exercises and self-defence training with knives and other weapons, Beatrice had grown up tall, lean and confident. She was striking rather than beautiful, but her dark hair, long and shining down her back, often got her a second look.

When her father turned up at her door, his face looking haggard, her uneasiness returned, growing larger inside of her.

"Beatrice… I've got some bad news. I'm so sorry, it's about your mother."

On hearing that her mother is dead, it's like the bottom has fallen out of Beatrice's world. Her mother had had a dangerous job, but Beatrice hadn't thought that her mother might die off-duty on her holiday.

The next few days pass by in a bit of a horrid, numb blur for Beatrice. As well as her father, she turns to Aunt Linda and Uncle Amenadiel for comfort as the news spreads. They were both upset at the news too as well as their son Charlie; he was a detective at the LAPD now and Chloe as well as Dan had been mentors to him. Beatrice thought of Charlie as the little brother she had never had – once she was old enough, she as well as Maze had helped babysit him.

Amenadiel is kind to Beatrice, he explains gently in his deep voice how her mother will surely be in the Silver City now, her soul carried there by his sister Azrael, the Angel of Death. One day, Beatrice will surely see her mother again there. Beatrice's still upset, but she takes some comfort from his words.

Linda is grieving too, but she makes it clear to Beatrice that she's available whenever Beatrice wants to talk. The years have been very kind to Linda, for a side-effect of carrying a half-angel baby to term was that it slowed down her aging process significantly and kept her faculties sharp. In a city like LA, it's assumed she's had good plastic surgery (and she's sometimes asked for her surgeons' contact details).

But even Beatrice can see the downside of this will be that Linda and Amenadiel will have to move somewhere else one day, where people don't openly wonder why they both look so good for their supposed ages.

Beatrice has a strange dream one night. She dreams of her mother standing at a crossroads, dressed in one of her usual work outfits of blazer and trousers. Suddenly an old-fashioned black sports car, sleek and shining, drives up to her with a flourish. The driver is a darkly handsome and debonair man whom Beatrice hasn't seen since she was young, who looks to be in his late '30's. But she knows he's much older than that, older than the Earth itself.

"Lucifer!" Beatrice thinks to herself in realisation in the dream.

There's a smile on Lucifer's face when he stops and gets out of the car, the smile widening as her mother rushes up to embrace him, happiness Beatrice hasn't seen in a while upon her face. They both get in the car and he drives away.

Beatrice notices a woman with short dark hair who watches the departing car, who then turns around and looks straight at her.

"Chloe chose with her heart, but don't resent her for it," she says gently before Beatrice wakes up, feeling amazed and uneasy.

Lucifer… she hasn't thought of him in ages, but she knows she couldn't have been a lawyer without the financial assistance he had left for her education. She had learned the hard way not to mention Lucifer too often to her mother because it only made her unhappy. But Beatrice remembers the first day she had seen him at her school, when she had realised straight away somehow that he wasn't human at all, but the actual Devil like he said.

But that had been ok, because he had said something to Beatrice's school bully that had made her scream in a terrible way… and she had never come back to school after that, to Beatrice's relief. So that meant he was a nice Devil after all. After that, hadn't he saved the lives of her and her mother at times? She remembers too the almost comical looks of alarm on Lucifer's face sometimes when she hugged him. Only by looking back can she appreciate the charm and allure he had like a second skin.

But her dream… it's just a dream, right? Her mother's soul has gone to the Silver City, like Amenadiel said. She wouldn't be in actual hell, no matter that the one she loved ruled it. Aunt Linda would be the first to reassure her and say it was just a dream, her minds way of trying to cope with her mother's death.

Daniel takes the trip to identify Chloe's body, which is every bit stressful as he knew these things could be. A solemn Charlie accompanies him on the trip so he can drive Chloe's car back home separately.

Chloe Decker is laid to rest beside her father, her mother attending dressed head to toe in black and wearing a black veil as well. Some security was necessary at the funeral itself, for Chloe Decker's death had made it into the local news, with people reminded anew of the film High School Hot Tub movie she had made as a teenager.

Ella is red-eyed from crying but she stays protectively close to Beatrice during the service. She glanced around occasionally in case she sees Lucifer present for Chloe's funeral. She doesn't see him and Ella isn't sure whether she's sad or relieved. She had wrestled with a lot of feelings – horror, amazement, scientific fascination - when she realised that Lucifer was, unbelievably, the Lucifer. At her workplace, of all things. He and Chloe had had a thing going on! But maybe it had been for the best that Lucifer had gone back to Hell. She knows though that Chloe would have given almost anything to see him one last time.

After the funeral, those present are invited to Lux by Maze to have a drink in Chloe's memory, on the house. Eve nods in agreement. The club isn't quite as popular as it was in Lucifer's day when he provided favours, with the bright and the beautiful of today often turning their attention to other, hipper clubs. But Lux meant something to Chloe and that's what matters.

Beatrice's grandma tells her with a tremble in her voice that she's welcome to move back to Chloe's house, that the house will be left to Beatrice anyway. She doesn't have the heart to say no to grandma. Maybe in time too she can make the house feel like her own.

Days afterwards, there's no word from the manhunt that they've found Chloe's killer yet. Dan knows he's impatient, but with a grim set to his jaw, Dan asks Maze to do the hunting herself.

Maze immediately agrees, she'll even do it for free. For Beatrice's sake.

TBC


	8. Hunting

Maze walked into the store where Decker had died, pretending to browse for snacks and other things. Sure enough, she could sense the unique energy signature and death-energy of the detective present as well as the slimier energy of her killer and his accomplice. It's enough for her to start tracking both of them down.

However, the dominant energy signature present is the familiar brimstone-and-whiskey one of Lucifer. Maze's eyes narrowed. She hasn't seen or heard from him since he returned to Hell years ago. At one time, she would have resented Lucifer bitterly for going back to Hell without her, but she's a different person now. Especially knowing that when she returns to Lux, Eve will be waiting for her with a smile of anticipation on her face.

It's easy to put two and two together and realise that Lucifer rushed up here as soon as Decker was shot. Maze rolled her eyes when on closer examination she could sense the unmistakable energy of two lovers reuniting. But then, Decker had moped for Lucifer for a long time after he had left. Had Lucifer done the same? Oh yeah, he was the King of Moping as well as Hell. He probably singed his feathers rushing up here. Then they've both gone back to Hell, for there's no trace of a soul having left for the Silver City. Had Decker done so willingly? Yeah, she went willingly. The two lovebirds are probably making out on Lucifer's throne right now.

Maze's smile faded a bit when she considered Beatrice. She had the right to know where her mother's soul had gone, even though she would have mixed emotions over it. But being in Hell as honoured guest (admittedly very rare) was markedly different from being there because of your sins.

She buys some chocolate before leaving.

The trail she's following heads to the Canadian border and Maze finds the killer and his accomplice holed up in a seedy motel. She catches them unawares and soon has them both tied up securely. She tosses the accomplice over her shoulder and dumps him into the back seat of her car, ignoring his terror. No one bothers her. She has a special badge she can flash at people if they ask too many questions on her hunts.

She goes back inside to fetch the killer and he tries to spit at her.

"Bitch," he snarls as he futilely tries to break free of his bindings.

Maze gives him a sharp smile and crouches down at a safe distance from him. She gets out one of the smaller knives concealed around her person and casually starts cleaning underneath her nails.

Ignoring how he starts to look pale.

After a while, she said casually, "Years ago, the Devil walked the earth. Acted like an idiot half the time. He met a woman, a detective and they ended up fighting crime together. Even saved her life a few times. Eventually he had to go back to Hell to save the world, even with people like you in it. But he didn't forget that detective. And he's not going to forget, when you go down to Hell, that you were the one who shot his woman dead in a store you were both robbing."

Maze smiled and it sent a shiver of terror through him.

"You're lying!" he nevertheless blustered.

Maze smirked. "Might be lying. Might be telling the truth. Until you die, you won't know, will you?"

Was it his imagination, or had the shadows in the room become darker. Whispering things to him.

"Time to go," Maze said briskly, grabbing him and tossing him over her shoulder as if he weighed nothing before going to her car.

TBC


	9. A Talk with Maze

Dan's at work when Maze comes in leading two tied up men on a rope each, both of them looking too cowed to put up a fight.

This is hardly unusual with Maze.

But Dan rises to his feet and others fall silent and tight-lipped as they recognise the two men from the wanted posters of those responsible for Chloe's death.

"I've brought them in," Maze says tersely as she walks up to Dan, handing him the rope ends. "No need to pay me. This time," she adds.

"Thanks, Maze," Dan nods at her, forcing himself to stay calm over the anger rising up inside of him at the sight of the men.

One of them gazes nervously about him, as if he's afraid something's going to jump up and grab him.

Probably on drugs, Dan thought with a sneer to himself. He's going to enjoy every moment of putting them away.

When Maze gets back to Lux, Eve is waiting for her up in the penthouse, a glass of wine ready for her to drink. Eve is visibly pleased when she hears that Maze had successfully caught Decker's killer and brought him in along with his accomplice.

Decker and Eve were never on entirely good terms after Eve returned to Lux – on the occasions that Maze saw them both in the same room together, they both wore careful smiles if they had to interact. But Eve had expressed genuine regret on hearing Decker had been killed and wanted those responsible found too.

It's on the tip of Maze's tongue to tell Eve that Lucifer has taken Decker's soul down to Hell with him… to be his queen like that old story of Persephone and Hades suddenly brought to modern life (Lucifer and Maze had alternately sneered and laughed themselves silly over that story back in the day – who would be a Queen of Hell?).

But Maze still remembers how Eve became increasingly unhinged years ago after Lucifer had dumped her, all those ways she had tried to get his attention again. The mixed looks of bafflement and slowly burning fury with which Maze had seen Eve look at Decker.

No, it's best not to mention Lucifer to Eve if she can help it… and she doesn't want to feel she's competing with Lucifer again for Eve's love.

The next day, Maze texts Beatrice and asks if she can come over to her place that night. Beatrice is quick to text back 'yes'.

Maze brings a six-pack with her to Beatrice's apartment and knocks on the door. Beatrice opens the door, looking pale and tired as she has been ever since her mother's death. But she's quick to smile at Maze.

"Maze, hi," she says readily, welcoming her inside. Beatrice is in the middle of packing up her things as there's a stack of boxes in the middle of her apartment.

Beatrice gives Maze a fervent hug. She's never quite entirely got over the fact that her life is full of angels and demons, but she wouldn't swap it for anything.

"Thanks for catching them," she said, her voice sounding a bit muffled. "Dad told me you'd brought them in."

"You know me, girl," Maze said briskly but there was a smile in her voice. "No one escapes Maze. Also, I put the fear of Maze into the one who actually did it. He'll be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his no-good life."

Maze hesitated then went on. "But there's something I need to tell you now about your mom. It's important," she said soberly.

Beatrice looked askance at her but waved a hand towards the couch.

"Sure, have a seat."

After they had both sat down, Maze said in a kinder tone, "There's no easy way to say this. When I went to the store where your Mom was, I could tell that Lucifer was there at her time of death. She went with him down to Hell. Willingly."

Beatrice paled.

"Mom's in Hell?" she said incredulously. "I thought Hell was only for those who deserved it."

Maze smiled reassuringly.

"Hell is rough for the guilty, yeah. It was made that way. But Lucifer can roll out a red carpet for VIP's. Can't remember the last time that happened though, but he would for your mom."

Beatrice was somewhat reassured at that and found herself remembering the weird dream she had had recently.

"I actually had a dream about Mom and Lucifer recently," Beatrice confessed.

Maze looked sharply at Beatrice. "A dream? Spill."

Feeling slightly silly, Beatrice started talking.

"Mom's at a crossroads and Lucifer turns up in his car… he hasn't aged a day. They're both really happy to see each other, she gets in the car and then they both drive away. Then a small, dark-haired woman looks straight at me and says, 'Chloe chose with her heart, but don't resent her for it.' Then I wake up."

Maze drew back slightly, a faint look of respect on her face.

"That sounds like a true dream," she said bluntly. "I'd bet my best knife on it. That woman sounds like Lucifer's sister Azrael, the Angel of Death. He never bitched and moaned about her half the way he did with his other siblings."

Beatrice looked slightly sceptical. "You think that definitely was Azrael? I'd thought she'd be taller."

Maze continued, leaning forward with an intent expression on her face.

"So, assuming the dream's true, here's how it probably happened. Azrael came to bring your mom's soul to the Silver City, but Luce is already there with her and having a little catch-up."

Maze smirked and Beatrice automatically twitched at the thought of her mother making out with someone.

"Lucifer says, 'The Silver City is for boring old farts, come down to Hell… and be Queen."

"Queen?" Beatrice echoed in amazement.

Maze nodded. "Yes, because Lucifer knows it will make her safer. Demons will think twice about trying to take her out if she's the Queen of Hell. Anyway, Azrael sees that Decker has made her choice and doesn't interfere."

Beatrice's heart sank when she thought through the implications.

"But that means I really will never see Mom again," she whispered with a fresh wave of sadness rushing through her. Yes, her mom had died, but there had been the promise of being with her again one day in the Silver City.

That was why Azrael had told Beatrice not to resent her mom for her choice.

But wait, she's forgetting something.

"Maze, If I actually pray to Lucifer and ask him to send me a sign that Mom's ok, would he do it?" Beatrice said, the words tumbling out of her mouth with sudden hope.

Maze smiled like an approving teacher.

"Even better. For you, he'd probably answer back. People would often pray to him over the years and drive him nuts with all the crap they said or asked for. If he answered their prayers, they usually regretted it. You wouldn't, though."

"Would I have to do anything special, to really make sure the prayer gets down to him in Hell?" Beatrice asked.

Maze rolled her eyes amiably. "It's not like an international phone call, kid. Light a candle first, that helps. A nice one, not too cheap. Not black, that only impresses him in the movies. Dumb movies," she added with a mutter.

Beatrice took a deep breath, feeling like it was her first decent one since she'd heard her mom had died. She remembered when she was young after Lucifer had left, feeling tempted to send him a prayer to ask if he was ok. But she had then reasoned that maybe he would be fighting to reclaim his throne after being away for years. What if her prayer distracted him at the wrong moment?

But now that Mom's down in Hell with him, she's going to do what she can to find out whether she's all right.

Mom would understand.

TBC


	10. Memories

Meanwhile back in Hell…

Once Chloe and Lucifer had both watched 'The Princess Bride', they watched other DVD's he had selected; nothing too heavy but ones that could coax a laugh from her nevertheless. Chloe was curious to see how long she could go before she needed a break. When she had a spare moment, she thought, she would go to her office and use one of the blank journals as a diary and keep notes of how different this new body of hers was. Just thinking that made her feel more anchored in this place.

When they have had both of their fill of DVD's, Chloe remembers her promise.

"You know, I did promise to rub those feathers of yours, Lucifer," she told him.

"Yes, you did, Detective," he purred, flashing a smile at her.

He then got up and sat down on a nearby divan with his back to her. There's a rush of air and then those dazzling white wings of his pop into existence.

Chloe's glad for the distraction from her underlying feelings of grief as she stares at his wings, noticing how they seemed outlined with sunlight, even if said light is only a Hell simulation.

"I almost wish I was an artist, so I could draw you," she finds herself saying wistfully.

Lucifer turns his dark head slightly so he can continue to converse with her.

"I would have to take all my clothes off first, darling," he said silkily, but she can tell he's pleased.

"Lucifer," she said, rolling her eyes.

She finds her cheeks going pink though at the thought of drawing him while he reclined on his bed without a stitch on, those wings spread behind him and a __come-here-Detective__ smile on his face.

"I could do all sorts of drawings of you, Detective," he said suggestively.

"You can draw?" she asked with curiosity.

"Artists always have the best hands," he said lightly. "It was impossible not to pick up some tips as well. So, one day I can draw you, and teach you how to draw me?"

Lucifer made it sound achievable, even fun.

"All right," Chloe agreed.

"Are the wings heavy at times?" she enquires as she walks over to stand behind him. It must be about a twelve-foot wing span in total that he has. Her detective's fingers itch for a tape measure to check.

"No, Detective," he said warmly and she feels a bit foolish for asking. He's stronger than humans… how many times had she seen Lucifer perform a feat of strength he shouldn't have been able to do? For ages at the beginning she had tried to find a reasonable explanation – maybe he was on some steroids to enhance his strength… all those drugs he happily smoked or inhaled like they were candy all the time could have helped as well.

Some of the primary feathers are quite long and sharp looking. Chloe ran a fascinated hand gently over one of those feathers, then the one next to it. The wings puff up in response to her touch and she hears Lucifer humming.

Chloe knelt down behind Lucifer and focussed her attention on his left wing first, gently stroking it where it came out of his back, looking like a limb in itself. It's curious how when the wings retract, there will be no obvious holes in his jacket. A useful Celestial power, she supposed.

"Detective!" Lucifer gasped, his wings quivering with some strong emotion for a moment.

Confused, Chloe drew her hand back.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" she said immediately.

"No, quite the opposite," he muttered. "It's just… touching that part of the wings is sometimes considered foreplay, darling."

Just having the Detective caress his feathers at all is foreplay in a way, but he doesn't tell her that because he can't remember the last time someone touched his feathers with tenderness like she does. He hadn't let anyone near his dratted wings as a rule. Oh, there were times when he had needed them groomed by Maze, but she had done it with careful efficiency as a service for her King.

"Oh!" Chloe exclaimed. "Really?" she said with a smile in her voice, filing that fact away for later.

"Detective… you can tell me all your naughty thoughts, you know," he said encouragingly.

"Nice try, honey," she said fondly as she went back to touching his feathers, the endearment coming naturally from her lips.

His wings fluttered at her words and she smiled. In the presence of his wings again – the sheer divinity of them – Chloe can feel her grief and the other raw emotions draining away. It's not that she won't continue to miss her family and the life she had had, but there's the sense that she can think more clearly now.

Also, since she's in actual Hell, she can't afford to be weighed down by negative emotions that might slow her down, put her at a disadvantage. She can trust Lucifer, but she can't trust yet what lies outside this penthouse under the dreary grey sky.

She notices the occasional feather looking crooked, so she carefully straightens it. Chloe hopes she's doing the right thing, it's not as if she's read the __Dummies Guide to Grooming Your Winged Partner__.

Lucifer had had countless lovers, parties and orgies over millennia… but the Detective had merely called him __honey__ and the joy from that almost pierced him to the heart. He craved her every touch with a longing he hopes he doesn't show too blatantly on his face... he's been years without her presence. It even feels like centuries.

"My siblings used to groom each other's wings for hours," Lucifer finds himself saying out loud.

Chloe's ears perk up. Apart from Amenadiel, she knows that Lucifer has siblings with names such as Michael and Gabriel, but nothing more than that. Another question she hadn't asked, or had been wary about asking. When Eve had become a dominant part of his life, the words __too late, too late__ had echoed sadly inside her head for so many reasons.

Michael is the one supposed to be physically responsible for banishing Lucifer, Michael's own twin, from Heaven, after all. She feels a bit on shallow ground here, though. She could have asked Amenadiel these questions over the years, but it would have just brought up all her grief again over losing Lucifer. Then it had seemed pointless to ask, anyway.

"Your wings as well?" she ventures.

"No, Detective, I was too busy for any of that fuss," he said casually. "Besides, I was the difficult one… asking questions all the time, saying 'why' to everything instead of being the good soldier they wanted me to be. Wanting free will for myself."

"My sister Rae Rae though… she was left out as well at times and took it hard," he said quietly.

Chloe bit her lip at the words __left out as well.__

"Why Rae Rae?" she asked. That couldn't be her real name, she thought.

"She wasn't tall or strong enough by angel standards, Detective, or pretty enough in their eyes. She liked her own company at times, so that was a mark against her too. I found her crying one day and offered to groom her wings," he said in a softer voice.

"Afterwards, when I found out which brother was responsible for upsetting her, I went and punched him in the nose. My other brothers punished me for that, but it was worth it," he said with grim satisfaction.

Chloe winced. Removing the references to angels, heaven and hell left her with the description of a dysfunctional family with strict or distant parents that was quick to turn on its own if you questioned things or didn't live up to impossible standards. Blows and punishment rather than love and affection.

No wonder Lucifer had panicked for a moment when she had tried to comfort him over his scarred back years ago, it had been the classic fight-or-flight reaction from him. He hadn't known how to react to her concern, although only seconds before he had been happily twirling around naked in front of her, his ego so pleased and sure that this time, they would end up having sex! She hadn't believed his utter gall (well, actually by that time she was starting to) and had been about to tell him what she thought before leaving, maybe for good… but then she had seen his back.

But it helps to know he had been kind to a sister, defending her when she needed it and Chloe says as much out loud.

"Thank you, Detective. I told Rae Rae to find a reason to stay out of the house, so to speak, as much as possible. Don't make herself into a target," he remarked.

"What does she do at the moment?" Chloe asked, curious.

"Rae Rae – her real name is Azrael – ended up as the Angel of Death, Detective," he said casually.

Chloe went a bit bug-eyed for a moment, glad Lucifer couldn't see. She had had to ask, hadn't she.

Lucifer went on. "I'm surprised that she didn't try and intercept me before I brought you here; maybe she didn't want a fight on her hands. I probably owe her a favour, though."

"Um, yes," Chloe managed. But the thought came to her that perhaps Azrael remembered a brother who had showed kindness to her.

TBC


	11. Wings and Feathers

I meant to update before Christmas, so this is a late Christmas gift for my readers. :)

**Chapter Text**

Lucifer was quiet again and then after a few minutes he said in a tentative voice, "There's an itchy spot in the middle of my other wing. Would you mind scratching it, Detective?"

"Yes, of course," Chloe said immediately, shifting her attention to the other wing.

She reached out with a hand to carefully scratch where she hoped it did some good.

"A bit to your left… up a bit… yes, that's it, Detective," he sighed in relief. "Give it a good one. Umm."

She gave the spot a vigorous scratch, pausing when a medium-sized feather fell out and landed on the ground.

"A feather just fell out," she blurted.

"Thank you, Detective! I've been feeling a new feather trying to come through for a while. Wretched things," he grumbled good-naturedly. "Sometimes I don't always have a wing-scratcher thingy handy."

Chloe eyed the feather on the ground, noticing how it glowed softly as it lay on the carpet.

"Do you want your feather back?" she queried.

"No, you can keep it, darling," he said promptly. "You can touch it and think of me," he added with a purr.

Chloe rolled her eyes but tucked the feather away into her jacket. If she looks closely at the wing, she can see a pin feather starting to come through where the old one had been. There's something oddly adorable about it. Maybe better not say that out loud, though.

Lucifer hummed encouragingly at her again and Chloe was happy to pick up where she had left off tending to his wings.

A thought comes to her after a while.

"Do your feathers ever all moult at once, Lucifer?"

His broad shoulders hunched slightly.

"Yes, Detective," he said mournfully. "Every so often, both of my bloody wings itch all over, then the feathers fall out in clumps. They're both left looking like boiled chickens until the new feathers grow back. I don't know how I put up with it."

Her fastidious partner sounded so offended that Chloe laughed and she clapped a hand to her lips.

"Are you laughing?" he huffed.

"No, no," she managed, but she felt another laugh escape her. "I'm sorry, but the thought them looking like boiled chickens…"

"Is funny. Yes, I know," he said pointedly.

Chloe got up and walked around so she could sit down beside him on the divan.

"I'm sorry, Lucifer, I didn't mean to laugh," she said sincerely, laying her hand on his arm.

"Very well, but you need to be punished, Detective," he purred, finding it impossible to stay angry at her. "You'll be helping me look after my wings the next time they moult."

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Chloe said ruefully.

Lucifer smirked at her.

"Yes, you are. There'll be feathers everywhere that have to be picked up. I'd make it up to you though afterwards," he added teasingly.

Chloe's gaze met his and his dark eyes were suddenly filled with a simmering heat that made her tingle inside. Lucifer was equally caught up in her blue eyes, as blue as the heavens. He swallowed and then looked away for a moment before looking back.

"Thank you for grooming my wings," he said quietly.

"That's all right," Chloe said softly, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

Chloe sees and feels his wings then wrap themselves gently around them both, enclosing them in a white feathery bubble.

"You know, I feel better when I'm close to your wings," she confesses.

Lucifer smirked down at her. "It could be their divinity, Detective. Or just me."

"That must be it," Chloe allowed with a smile.

Then his dark gaze searched her face.

"Is that what you desire right now? A cuddle with wings?"

His voice was gentle.

Chloe nodded, a lump in her throat for a second.

"Yeah, that would be great," she said softly.

Lucifer put an arm around her waist and then they were sinking back down on the divan, his vast wings still wrapped around them both. Chloe felt a bit awkward though about lying down on an actual wing of his that curled around her almost possessively. She opened her mouth to say something, but he put a finger to her lips.

"My wings are tough, they won't mind the Detective all over on them," he reassured her.

Chloe heard some of the individual feathers of the wing rustle to themselves in a way too that sounded like laughter, and felt a feeling of comfort come over her.

She sighed and snuggled against his chest, conscious that here he felt a bit warmer to the touch than he was in LA. Perhaps here in Hell, fire ran through his veins instead.

It was sweet torment for Lucifer just to hold his Detective and not do anything further. But she was still in need of comfort and he was nevertheless happy to provide it. In each other's arms and in the soft glow of the wings, all sense of time passing seemed to disappear for them.

"Are you ticklish here in Hell, Detective?" he enquired at one point.

Chloe poked his side. "No," she said assertively.

"You sound very sure," he teased.

"Don't even go there," she told him.

When they eventually sat back up, Lucifer having folded his wings away, he said, "Would you like to come down and see Lux II, Detective? There's only Agatos the bartender down there at the moment, who knows being loyal lets him stay a bartender."

His voice sounds slightly questioning and Chloe takes a deep breath before nodding. She will have to start meeting some of his subjects sooner or later... at least she's feeling rested and refreshed now. Looking down at her sloppy clothes though, she realises she needs something smarter.

"Sure. Just let me get changed first," she says sensibly.

"You look beautiful to me, Detective," he says warmly and she gives him a kiss for that.

She headed back to her room and changed into some smarter black trousers and a grey blazer over a black top. After brushing her hair, she fastened it back into one of her usual neat buns. A bit of lip gloss and she was done.

Her gaze fell upon the jewellery box which she hadn't opened yet. Curious, she lifted the lid and her eyes widened at the shine and glitter within. On the top though she saw the bullet necklace that Lucifer had made for her years ago, after she had shot his leg. All right, so it was only a faithful replica of the real thing, but it was the piece that nevertheless called to her the most.

Chloe felt happier with it around her neck and when she went back to Lucifer, he greeted her with a smile but his dark eyes softened when his gaze dropped to the necklace.

"I'm glad to see this necklace again," she said sincerely.

"I know it's not the real one, Detective," he said regretfully.

"It's the thought that counts," Chloe said firmly and saw him brighten again.

There was a question she had to ask though.

"Lucifer, if you can't drink in Hell, what does the bartender do?" she asked curiously.

"Colour for its own sake is rare down here, Detective," he said soberly.

Apart from the colour of blood, which went without saying.

"So my subjects get some enjoyment out of ordering hideously colourful looking drinks and pretending it's actually being ingested when they drink them, instead of it vanishing once inside the mouth."

Chloe felt a pang of sympathy and she nodded. "All right."

"I'm not sure where the little pink umbrellas came from," he added in puzzlement and then he shook his head and smiled at Chloe.

"Come along, Detective," he said lightly, offering his arm to her.

Agatos, the bartender at Lux II was tall and burly with shiny black eyes and grey skin that some females found pleasing. He dressed in black leather and always had two swords strapped to his back.

Despite his appearance, he had a few more brains than most demons and hadn't taken part in any of the rebellions against their sire once he had returned to Hell years ago. You wouldn't be able to win against the sire, so why risk your hide? Many of those who hadn't listened were reduced to ash, which proved his point and provided opportunities for advancement with their absence.

He had even done his best to maintain some semblance of order in the castle and the sire had rewarded him by making him the bartender here at the club of the White Tower, the new place that the sire had built on his return.

Now Hell was buzzing over the news that the sire had personally flown the not-damned soul of a woman down here to the White Tower, for many had seen her being held carefully in his arms without any signs of panic from her. Hardly a weakling, but there were restless whispers again that the sire had __gone soft.__

It was quiet at the moment in the club, but Agatos didn't mind. True peace and quiet could be rare, so was appreciated.

However, Agatos did a slight double-take when he saw the sire jauntily carrying his woman down the stairs into the club.

"Lucifer, put me down," the woman protested laughingly without any signs of fear in her voice.

"Sorry, didn't hear you, Detective," the King of Hell said cheerfully.

He strode up to the bar, a brightness in his dark eyes that Agatos had rarely seen in the sire.

Lucifer had glowered at anyone who had dared to ask him about his longer-than-normal stay on Earth and it was easy to see now that he had had to leave someone special behind. Who was now here.

"Agatos, this is the Detective and my queen, who I worked with on Earth. She's amazing. Detective, this is Agatos, the bartender," he said in the same cheerful tone.

"Hello," the Detective said with as much dignity as she could, though with a trace of understandable wariness on her face. "It's Detective Chloe Decker, I was with the LAPD - the Los Angeles Police Department - when I was alive."

Agatos tried not to goggle at her. She was dressed in sober, sensible clothes and her golden hair was pulled back in a tight bun. Her face was beautiful though that meant nothing – plenty of beautiful people with evil in their hearts had ended up in Hell. But there was a brightness about her soul that momentarily dazzled him.

Forgetting his place for a moment, in confusion he unwisely said, "What are you doing down __here__, lady?"

Lucifer glared at Agatos, his eyes turning into hot fire; but paused when the Detective said firmly, "I chose to be here because Lucifer is my partner and I love him. I could have gone to the Silver City, but I would have missed him."

The hellfire faded away in Lucifer's eyes and he looked pleased.

"Thank you, Detective," he said warmly.

Then his eyes narrowed at Agatos.

"Since the Detective did me the honour of choosing to be with me, I would hate to see her regret that decision because someone said or did something to upset her. Then I would be upset," he said with a deadly calm that made Agatos shiver inside.

Having someone the sire cared for here in Hell hadn't made him soft – it had brought out a fierce protectiveness which only made him more deadly.

Agatos would be sure to pass that detail on…

TBC


	12. Lux II

Wanting to make amends, Agatos asked respectfully, "What drink would you like, your Highness?"

This woman was a Detective, and a big piece of the puzzle clicks into place for Agatos - he's visited enough Hell loops to have some understanding of what people do on Earth. She was someone who hunted down the guilty and made sure they were punished.

The sire punishes the guilty, so the affinity he can see between them now isn't a completely odd thing after all. She's just part of their same food chain in a way… another detail he can pass on to reassure others.

Also, if the Detective puts the sire in a good mood, that's important as well. For all of his subjects.

Chloe tried not to turn her head to see who he was talking to. But the words __your Highness__ echo strangely in her head; it's going to still be a while until she's used to being addressed as actual royalty by demons. A long while. Queen Chloe… yeah, that sounds strange too.

Agatos is the first actual demon she's seen up close, but she can see that he doesn't want to cause further offence. Her first thought was that he looked like someone from a Lord of the Rings movie, not in a good way, either.

Chloe does know that showing any fear would be a bad idea.

She also remembered Lucifer's comment about colour being rare for its own sake here.

"I'll have a Cosmo, she said calmly.

"Yes, your Highness," Agatos replied, a faint look of relief in his eyes.

"That's a very girly drink, Detective," Lucifer teases her.

"Fine, take me down to the station," she said dryly.

"What will you have, Sire?" Agatos asked Lucifer solemnly.

"I'll have a whiskey, maybe this time I'll actually be able to taste it," Lucifer said sardonically as he deposited the Detective carefully upon her feet.

"Right away, Sire," Agatos said, bowing his head deferentially and giving Chloe a half-dazed look before going to prepare the drinks.

Chloe looked around her; the bar and nightclub interior looked exactly the same as the one in LA. But this one was dim and quiet right now, lacking the crowds of people dancing and socialising, the air devoid of expensive perfume and the smell of alcohol.

She could just imagine the Tribe over in one of the booths, smiling and waving for them both to come over. Another wave of homesickness came over her, but then she thought of how Lucifer had been isolated down here, cut off from those who cared about him.

Chloe would have to catch him up on how they had been doing, she can do this.

Once their drinks were served up to them, Chloe and Lucifer walked over to one of the booths and sat down.

"We can talk freely here; Agatos won't be able to overhear us, Detective. Or lipread," Lucifer remarked.

He took a sip of his whiskey and then grimaced.

"Still no taste," he sighed. He lived in vain hope.

Chloe noted that he had more power down here in Hell. Or perhaps he'd always had it, but avoided using the ones that couldn't be entirely explained away. After all, she had tried to rationalise to herself that the desire mojo of his was a special type of hypnosis combined with his charisma that often made the most hard-hearted suspect melt and confess.

She took a cautious sip of her drink – there's the feel of liquid in her mouth and then it's gone without any taste or other sensation. No wonder Lucifer had drunk like a fish sometimes in LA.

"Lucifer, I wonder if I'm still resistant to your 'what do you desire?' superpower," she asked thoughtfully.

He perked up.

"Ooh, a test! Yes, let's do that, Detective. Wonderful idea," he purred.

He leaned forward slightly, his dark gaze locking on to hers and holding it.

"What do you truly desire, darling?" he asked encouragingly then waited.

"Is this thing of yours switched on?" she enquired after a few moments with a slight smile.

Lucifer leaned back with a sigh.

"Your Jedi brain still resists me, Detective," he commented. He shouldn't be too surprised though, she was a Miracle, after all.

Chloe took pity on him and reached out a hand to lightly touch his knee.

"Look, in all the years that you were away, all I desired at times was just you," she said simply.

Lucifer's eyes softened. He made a note though to ask her later exactly how she had desired him. These things were important.

"You know, I haven't thanked you yet for leaving the money for Beatrice's college fund. It made a real difference to her life," Chloe said warmly.

"I'm glad, Detective," Lucifer said, pleased.

He was then quiet for a moment; the way that the Detective had automatically said Beatrice instead of Trixie gave him a sense of how much time had passed on Earth without him there to see the changes.

"I've never fathered urchins – probably a good thing – but she was the closest thing to a daughter of my own, Detective. All that natural deviousness," he said fondly.

Chloe rolled her eyes but was touched by his words nevertheless.

Lucifer went on.

"So, a college fund is something I thought I should do as a leaving present, being fabulously wealthy as I am. What did she do with it?" he asked, curious.

Chloe smiled. "Beatrice became a lawyer after going to a good law school," she said proudly. "She works long hours but she enjoys it."

Talking about her daughter in this way brought her no pain. Besides, using this time to update Lucifer about her and the others will get it out of the way.

Lucifer brightened.

"A lawyer, of course. I almost feel sorry for her opponents. No, wait, I don't," he remarked and they both laughed.

Chloe shook her head.

"I could never have afforded to send her to that law school, not even if Dan had chipped in," she said quietly. "So, thank you, Lucifer."

"You're welcome, Detective," he said softly.

Then he gave her a sideways glance.

"So how is the Douche," he started to say before hesitating. Maybe continuing to talk about those left behind would still be a bit raw for the Detective.

Chloe interpreted his look.

"It's OK," she said gently. "Dan became my work partner again out on the field after you left. It wasn't the same as us, but we did all right," she remarked.

Lucifer looked as if he had bitten into a lemon.

"I'm sorry I couldn't return, if only to spare you from that fate, Detective," he huffed, feeling indignant and slightly jealous. Yes, he had had to leave, but still, the Detective was his. His partner.

"Dan's been a good mentor to Charlie Martin, he's a Detective now too," Chloe said with a slight smile, waiting to see what Lucifer's reaction would be.

Lucifer blinked.

"Charlie? Nephew Charlie, a Detective?" he said incredulously and with a touch of wonder. His nephew, taking up the work that Lucifer had been forced to leave behind when he returned to Hell.

"Well, you and Dan have obviously been a terrible influence on my own flesh and blood," he commented but Chloe could see the pride in his eyes. "Please tell me you introduced him to wine, women and really fast cars."

Sometimes he missed his Corvette.

Then he gave her a concerned glance. "So, wings? Did he ever have his own wings, Detective?" he murmured.

Chloe shook her head with a little sadness.

"No, they never appeared, as it turned out. He's a bit smarter and stronger than others around him, but Amenadiel thinks that because he never grew wings, that's why the Silver City didn't try and take him when he was older."

Lucifer's eyes flared red for a moment.

"No, they wouldn't want someone who was too __human__ amongst them, Detective."

Although, perhaps Charlie would have to be careful about any children he fathered one day, if he could. Any sign of wings in a next generation and the Silver City might not hesitate to abduct such a rare child for their own purposes.

TBC


	13. Catching Up

"How's Maze?" Lucifer enquired.

He hoped she hadn't resented the fact he hadn't taken her back down to Hell with him. But Maze had had ties to the others too and there was no point in making them both miserable.

Chloe smiled wryly.

"She runs Lux now with the occasional bounty hunting on the side. Eve came back in the year after you left and they've been together ever since."

"That's so?" Lucifer said with cautious interest.

Then he hesitated.

"Are they all right together?"

"They've both been happy," Chloe commented.

Which was the truth, she thought.

"That's good, Detective."

Chloe went on.

"Maze helped raise Charlie, taught him weapons training and self-defence as soon as he was old enough. Which is useful now that's he's a Detective."

Lucifer looked smug at that.

"How's Linda and my big brother?"

Chloe looked uneasy for a moment.

"Linda hasn't really aged a day since giving birth to Charlie; Amenadiel thinks that carrying a half-angel baby to term slowed down her aging process."

Or stopped it, was her unspoken thought.

"He wonders if she could easily live another century."

Lucifer tilted his head and stared at her.

"That could be awkward, Detective, people tend to notice that sort of thing. If I went back to work, people would notice I hadn't aged a day either in their eyes. Still good looking, though."

He lifted a hand to playfully smooth back his dark hair.

He thought about how spending more time on Earth than usual – both him and Amenadiel – had sent ripples through the lives of those they had become close to. Good, bad and awkward.

Chloe rolled her eyes though she was touched that he still thought of the LAPD as work after all these years.

Then she looked serious.

"You came back from Hell for me, but can you go back for longer visits?" she questioned.

Lucifer was quiet for a second.

"I could, Detective, if it was only for a short visit – and if I was careful who I ran into. Staying away too long from Hell had caused more chaos than I realised; the natives thought I had become weak. I hadn't."

There was a cold look in his dark eyes with those last words.

Then he smiled.

"How's Miss Lopez?" he said with more warmth.

"She's good," Chloe said diplomatically.

There was no need to mention the shock in Ella's eyes she had seen when the penny had dropped and Ella had realised that Lucifer hadn't just been an eccentric method actor after all.

"She went out for a long while with someone who organised sci-fi conventions… the amount of Klingon she used in casual conversation went way up," Chloe said ruefully.

"Oh, I can speak Klingon too, Detective since it's an actual language," Lucifer said happily.

"No, you can't. I didn't hear that at all," she scolded him.

Lucifer pouted.

He was glad though that the Detective had caught him up with those he still cared about.

"What would you like to do now, Detective?" he said gently.

Chloe looked at him with a considering look in her blue eyes.

"Can we have a look outside?" she said simply.

"Yes, Detective."

When they left Lux II, a thoughtful Agatos watched them go.

On walking outside of the building, Chloe half-expected to see the busy street of LA, the sounds and sight of traffic and people flowing past. Instead, there's just a large expanse of barren, grey ground and in the middle distance is the edges of where the vast, grey city of Hell starts. A gust of wind scattered dust and small stones along the ground and she thought she could hear the sound of distant sobbing that had been carried on the wind.

With a small shiver, Chloe looked up at the grey sky. She couldn't see a sun or some other light source, but there had to be one somewhere. Was there? She did feel regret at the thought of never standing under the blue sky ever again, or feeling the sun on her face at the beach. Could she blame the Devil though for walking the earth, if only to feel the suns warmth?

Another thing occurred to her as she took a few more experimental steps to test that the ground was firm (you had to be sure).

"Nothing grows here, does it?" she said in realisation.

"No, Detective," Lucifer replied and there was something ancient and sad in his voice.

Chloe saw swirls of ash falling through the air not too far away and then a gust of wind suddenly blew some on to her sleeve.

Lucifer noticed it too and his eyes glowed red for a second.

"No ash on the Detective!" he growled as if he was addressing someone.

To Chloe's surprise, the ash immediately vanished as if it had never been.

"Lucifer, what-" she began, feeling confused.

"I just spoke to Hell itself," he announced. "Told it off, too," he added indignantly.

Chloe blinked a few times.

"Are you telling me that Hell is sentient?" she hissed, looking nervously around.

"Yes, Detective, but think of it more as the grumpy old man who yells at kids to get off the lawn these days," he said reassuringly.

This didn't make Chloe feel better.

At that, a spatter of ash fell directly on Lucifer's head, speckling it with grey.

"Has it been watching everything I say and do?" she said with dawning horror, her blue eyes wide.

Lucifer shook his head quickly.

"No, I had told it to give us privacy," he said soberly.

His eyes then looked unfocussed for a moment before looking down at her carefully.

"It wants to be introduced to you, at your convenience, of course, Detective."

"It does?" Chloe said faintly.

"Yes, you're something new and unique here, Detective," he said gently.

"That's not quite helping, Lucifer," she pointed out waspishly.

"It wouldn't hurt you, Detective and I'd be right beside you the whole time," he said soberly.

"What would I even say?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Just be yourself, darling," Lucifer said grandly.

Great, she thought and sighed. Things continued to get weirder here.

TBC


	14. The Throne

"All right, so what would be involved in actually talking to Hell?" Chloe asked cautiously.

"Well, for something special like this I'd have to take you to my throne first, Detective. One of two of them, anyway," Lucifer added offhandedly.

At that, Chloe folded her arms across her chest and stared at him.

"You've got __two thrones?"__ she said in disbelief.

"Yes, Detective!" he said a bit too brightly. "That's the main one."

He pointed a finger towards the tall, pale and rocky spire in the distance that Chloe had seen and puzzled over when Lucifer had flown her down to Hell.

There was a throne… at the top of that? One of them, anyway?

She stared at the spire for a long beat then straight back at Lucifer, her eyebrows raised.

He then waved a hand in the direction of the black castle in the distance.

"There's also a second throne in my castle."

"What would Linda say to all this?" she said dryly.

"She would say… oh yes, it was a healthy form of self-expression, Detective," he said helpfully, trying to look as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.

"Nope. That sentence alone must be worth at least two therapy sessions, I think, Lucifer," she commented, rolling her eyes at him.

"Sorry, it will have to be some other kind of sessions, darling," he said regretfully but with a gleam in his eyes.

"Don't change the subject," she said, though the corner of her mouth twitched. Give him any excuse to outrageously flirt with her and he was running with it. Admittedly, she had missed that about him, after all. Not that she was going to say that out loud.

"Let me get this straight," she said carefully. "So, if I want to talk to Hell itself, you'll have to fly me up to throne number one on top of that spire over there. There's no way I'm climbing up there, of course, because I don't want to fall down and see if I can die twice. Got that?"

"I would never let __you__ fall, Detective," he said soberly, his dark eyes sad.

Chloe blinked. Whoops, she thought and went to give him a hug.

"I've got ash on me, Detective, I don't want to make you dirty," Lucifer said in a bemused voice, trying to put some distance between them. He didn't want the filth of Hell on his Detective.

For indeed, while they had been talking, further ash had been wafting down from time to time upon his shoulders and down his black jacket as well as his hair. Sometimes the ash was easy to remove, Lucifer thought. But on other times it stuck to his skin like tar and only came off after thorough washing, his powers having no affect upon it.

"Hey, it's OK," she said softly, reaching up to brush the ash off his jacket which came off easily at her touch and fell to the ground.

"There's some on your hair too," she added.

Chloe carefully brushed the ash that was in his dark hair off to the side where it blew away. There was a good chance that more ash would fall on him again, she thought. It looked as if this was a feature, not a bug, of Hell. But that didn't mean she had to like it falling on her partner, or not do something about it.

"There, that's better," she said briskly after a few moments.

Lucifer's gaze, slightly wondering now, never left her face.

"Thank you, Detective," he said in a low voice and brushed her cheek gently with his fingers, her smile in return delighting him. For once in eons, he didn't mind the wretched ash at all.

He unfurled his wings.

"Up we go, Detective," Lucifer said gently and swept her up in his arms, holding her close for a moment before his wings gave a powerful flap, propelling them upward.

Chloe saw brief glimpses of shining white wings in some of the mirrored windows of Lucifer's building as they ascended. She would never take for granted flying with him like this, she thought. There were swirls of grey ash in the air but none of it actually fell on them. She felt revulsion at even the thought of smears of ash on his pristine white feathers.

It did not take long for the spire to draw closer; his wings expertly caught an updraft that helped propel them to the top where Chloe could see a throne created out of columns of pale stone.

Lucifer said in her ear, "Hold on, darling!" and in the next few moments everything seemed to blur… then he was sitting on his throne and she was sitting sideways on his lap, an arm of his firmly around her waist. His wings had vanished.

Chloe looked at him and for a moment he seemed to be a remote stranger, a fallen angel regal and cold upon his throne. Quick to punish any sign of wrongdoing in his kingdom.

Then Lucifer smiled at her reassuringly and he was the extrovert goofball he had been at work again, getting her coffee just the way she liked it and eating some of Dan's pudding afterwards because why not?

"The throne isn't big enough for two, Detective. You had to sit upon my lap."

He didn't have to sound so pleased with himself about that fact, Chloe sighed to herself. Men!

She looked around herself, peering at the throne. Looked down... and quickly looked back up. Maybe that hadn't been such a good idea, as it was a long way down.

"You built this yourself?" she asked, amazed.

"Yes, Detective," Lucifer said soberly.

__Eons ago, Lucifer had built the spire that climbed upwards to the grey excuse for a sky. He had stopped and built a throne at its top when it would have become too stupid to continue, screaming his rage and fury up to Dad afterwards. Ignoring the tears on his ruined face… some of them for the loss of his flawless white wings that had been replaced with bat-like monstrosities.__

"So, you can control things from here?" she ventured.

Lucifer nodded, his arm squeezing her gently.

"Yes, Detective. I can monitor Hell for any signs of instability or trouble amongst my subjects, the flow of souls into this place. When souls come to Hell they are usually brought to me in groups at a time, either at the base of this spire or before my throne in the castle. The ones who feel guilty for their sins get their own cell with a customised Hell loop. Those who refuse to feel guilty… well, they're given special attention, Detective, sometimes by me," he said solemnly.

For a moment that ancient weariness returned to his voice again and there was sympathy in Chloe's eyes when she looked at him.

"What's a Hell loop?" she asked.

Lucifer looked gravely at her.

"Imagine you're looking after a little brother and you both go for a walk in the countryside. But you ignore him when he runs off to look at something and your phone is more interesting, anyway. He falls and hits his head on something, dying later in hospital. The guilt never leaves you and when you end up here, in your Hell loop you endlessly replay what led to his death. Many souls don't always remember the time between when they died and the start of the loop."

Chloe looked at him, her eyes wide.

"So, that would mean that some of them would think they were still alive," she said in realisation. "Stuck in an endless Groundhog Day of guilt without really knowing they're dead."

"Yes, Detective," Lucifer agreed.

TBC

A/N: I think one of the creepiest episodes of Lucifer was the one with Linda's obsessive ex-husband. At the end you realise he's actually in a Hell loop, but because of his circumstances, he doesn't seem to realise he's dead and his loop has been replaying for quite a while. That was my interpretation, anyway. Brr.


	15. The Dragon

Well, it was a struggle to write the next chapter after my country went into full lockdown last month, but I eventually got there.

**Chapter Text**

"So, they can't leave their Hell loops," Chloe said slowly.

Lucifer shook his head in negation.

"They could always leave them, Detective, if they wanted to. Their doors are unlocked," he said tiredly.

"Do any of them actually leave?" Chloe enquired, a flicker of hope in her blue eyes.

There was some comfort in the realisation that Hell wasn't exactly the eternal prison that many people feared.

"No, Detective," he said regretfully, dashing her hopes in the next breath. "The Silver City is boring, but I'd hardly stop someone going up there if they wanted to. I wasn't born to be a jailer," he added, with a hint of bitterness in his voice.

It was their guilt that kept them chained in their cells, Chloe realised.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

Lucifer smiled ruefully and his arm around her waist squeezed her gently.

"Maybe one day one of them will surprise me and leave."

Then his other arm reached out and he took her hand with his warmer, larger one.

"Do you still wish to do this, Detective? Just say the word and we could do something different instead," he said in a low voice, rubbing her palm gently with his thumb.

Chloe felt warmth pooling in her stomach at his touch, but she nodded.

"Yes. I would have to introduce myself sooner or later, anyway," she pointed out. "We can do something different afterwards," she added, trying to be casual.

__If she survived or didn't go mad afterwards with an encounter with Hell itself, she thought. __

Lucifer's face brightened slightly. "Ooh, Detective!" he purred.

Then he looked more serious.

"Don't let go of my hand, Detective. I may look a bit different, too," he said.

"I won't mind," she promised, looking squarely at him.

Her surroundings darkened, but there was still some light… Chloe blinked when she saw that Lucifer had become a shimmering, vaguely human-shaped form of light and fire both that she could still feel holding her securely.

Multiple sets of white wings now somehow emanated from his back that were shining feathers one minute, then looking as if they made solely of white-hot heat the next. Looking closely though, she could see that one set were the familiar (and stable) feathered wings that he had shown her.

There was the suggestion of a golden cord between her and Lucifer, though at this short range it was hard to make out all the details.

As if aware of her scrutiny, one set of wings curved around her slightly in reassurance and a feeling of comfort came over her.

"Still with me, Detective?" Lucifer asked, concern in his voice.

Chloe could still hear him like she normally did, even though his shimmering face didn't have any visible features right now.

His voice still sounded like 'fancy British man', but now there was an otherworldly, sinfully seductive tone to it too. For the first time, Chloe had a glimmer of understanding of how people had readily told him the secret desires of their hearts at his say-so.

"Lucifer, I'm seeing around twelve wings coming from your back right now," she said slowly, staring at him.

"When I created the stars eons ago, one set of wings weren't enough to sustain and carry me at the time to where I needed to go next. Also, I wanted to look as magnificent as possible, Detective."

He sounded almost tentative.

Chloe rolled her eyes even as she was amazed at what he was saying so casually. The sun that she had taken for granted every day when she had been alive, had been put there personally by her partner.

"Once that was done, I went back to just displaying one set of wings… I didn't need more feathers getting everywhere!"

"You look unbelievable… but all you need right now is some glitter," Chloe commented with a smile in her voice.

"How dare you?" Lucifer huffed, but his multiple wings fluttered and rippled around her teasingly in a way that said he wasn't really offended.

If he had set out to make a distraction that cheered her up a bit, it had worked, she thought.

Then Chloe saw something out of the corner of her eyes and she turned her head to see a dark mass rising up in front of her, swirling and briefly towering above her before settling back down to smoothly change into a huge black dragon with a vast, coiling body, each dark, dinner plate-sized scale upon it gleaming and glossy. Its head had fiery red eyes and they promptly looked down upon her.

Chloe gulped, feeling as if she couldn't move. Yet another situation she hadn't been taught about at the police academy, she thought.

It spoke and Chloe heard its deep voice both aloud and in her head at the same time, which created odd echoes.

"Greetings, little queen."

Chloe felt Lucifer bristle.

"She's not 'little' anything! She's the Detective as well as my queen."

What to do, Chloe thought.

In the end, she carefully inclined her head and said, "Hello, I'm Detective Chloe Decker, formerly from the LAPD."

Saying that felt more authentic than saying Queen Chloe.

The dragon blinked and looked slightly bemused as it stared down at her, before beginning its interrogation.

"A soul like yours, giving up your place in the Silver City for Lucifer? Why?"

"He was my partner on Earth and I missed him," she explained.

"Were you hoping to be his queen, too?"

"I've been a Detective most of my life, I never aspired to anything else," she said honestly.

"Hmm."

The dragons head briefly swayed slightly back and forth almost hypnotically.

"What kind of Detective?"

"Homicide."

"So… you hunted down the guilty and made sure they were punished. Did you enjoy it?" the dragon asked her curiously.

"Yes, I did. We both did, for a few years together."

"Lucifer was different after he returned to Hell," the dragon said pointedly to Chloe. "A bad thing, or a good thing? Now, he'll be different again with you. A king needs to be strong, or he will be taken advantage of… viewed as weak."

"I'm not going to be accused of making him weak," Chloe said pointedly in return.

The dragon laughed, and it sounded like distant thunder mixed with gravel.

"You have fire and spirit, not bad things for a Queen of Hell. Very well… maybe you'll do."

"You'll need a crown, though," it then said off-handly.

"A crown?" she replied blankly. Crowns to her were the dime-a-dozen, sparkly plastic things Beatrice used to love wearing when she was a child.

The dragon laughed again, but not unkindly.

"Something gold to match your hair," it mused.

Chloe blinked as she felt a circlet of warm metal suddenly settle upon her head.

With it, came the feeling of being a bit more solid in this underworld.

"There. Few will think to give you trouble now. You may talk to me sometimes, if you wish," the dragon said magnanimously. "Speak and I will hear."

"Thank you," Chloe managed, resisting the urge to reach up and touch the crown she now wore. Fortunately it didn't feel too heavy.

The dragon nodded regally before transforming into a black fog that swiftly disappeared in the next moment. Everything then returned to normal and she was back with Lucifer upon his throne.

TBC

A/N - I once saw art of Lucifer with multiple sets of wings and that image never left my head, so I ended up incorporating it into this story. Thank you, mystery artist.


	16. The Dark Crown

"See, I knew you could do it, Detective," Lucifer told her with a hint of pride in his voice. Of course, she had held her own against Hell itself and now had a crown to prove it to any demon who looked upon it… because it could have come from nowhere else. Made of gold that looked as if it was living – with parts of it shifting, glinting and moving in place like molten lava, it was beautiful and not to be messed with at the same time, just like Chloe.

"Thanks, Lucifer," she told him, feeling like she had just jumped over a large hurdle and had come down to rest.

"Back to the penthouse, now?" he said in a gentler tone.

Chloe nodded. "I think I want to sit down after all that," she said feelingly.

"You are sitting down, Detective," he reminded her with a sparkle in his eyes.

Chloe gave him one of her patented Looks.

"Maybe somewhere that's not on a mile high throne, babe?" she said dryly.

Lucifer pretended to look injured. "It's not quite a mile high, darling."

Chloe did a facepalm. "I did not hear that."

She then peered down. Getting on to the throne was one thing, but leaving it was a different situation. Just bringing out his wings would be a bit awkward.

"How would we-" she began to say, but then Lucifer looked smug.

"Watch and learn, darling!" he purred.

Then a few feet below from where they were sitting, what resembled a wide, black plank started extending out into the air for a few metres before it stopped. To Chloe's surprised eyes, it did look firm enough to stand upon.

"If one of my subjects wishes to talk to me, or I summon them before me, that's where they stand," he explained.

"OK," Chloe nodded. Presumably there was some kind of teleportation capability built into it. Presumably too, Lucifer could make the plank disappear if he wasn't happy with said subject…

Holding her firmly in his embrace, Lucifer casually stepped off his throne and on to the plank as if it was something he had done hundreds of times before.

"It will disappear once we're in the air," he explained further as his vast wings unfurled from his back. They gave a flap and then they were both soaring off into the air back to the penthouse, the faintly shining building a reassuring and unmistakable reminder of LA to Chloe as it drew closer towards them. Something normal looking in Hell.

When they landed upon the balcony and Chloe was back on her feet, as was his habit now, Lucifer's vast wings wrapped around her gently, comforting and soothing her. Some of the feathers fluttered around her like dozens of soft caresses and there was a look of warmth in his dark eyes when Chloe put her arms around him. Desire rose up within her, the urge to feel his warm skin against hers, his limbs entwined with hers.

After a while, Lucifer shrugged his shoulders slightly and his wings withdrew and folded themselves into his back. Chloe felt better, to her relief.

"Come along, Detective-Queen, chop, chop," he said, taking her hand and leading her over to the leather couch to sit down. "Or should that be Queen-Detective?" he said teasingly.

"Lucifer," she sighed, rolling her eyes affectionately as she sat down beside him.

She lifted her hands to pat cautiously at her – crown! – which was slightly warm to the touch.

"What do you look like," Chloe said, almost to herself, as she carefully lifted it off her head to have a closer look at it.

Her eyes widened when she saw it, for it seemed to be made of bright, molten gold that hadn't quite set, for some of it rippled gently and shifted in place as she looked at it. It had a simple design, with seven parts pointing upwards.

Chloe found herself blinking away a tear. "I- it's really beautiful, Lucifer. I wasn't expecting something like this."

"You're my queen, so of course you need a crown, Detective," Lucifer said kindly. "If I had had my way, it would have been covered in the finest diamonds and big sapphires to match your eyes," he added almost wistfully.

Chloe had the mental image of such a glittering thing upon her brow, with Lucifer perhaps saying encouragingly, "Just a few more diamonds, Detective!". Maybe she'd had a lucky escape.

"If you want your crown out of the way for a little while, Detective, you can send it somewhere else, then call it back later," he then said delicately, placing careful hands on either side of her face, his fingers brushing the crown.

Chloe blinked and then the knowledge was in her head of what to do, as if it had always been there.

"Is it similar to where your wings go?" she questioned, a look of curiosity in her eyes.

"Yes, Detective," he said approvingly.

Chloe concentrated and then she felt the absence of her crown from her head. Fingers silently crossed, she mentally fumbled for a second and then felt the crown return as if it had never left, much to her relief.

Except now there was a question to be asked.

"Do you have a crown, Lucifer?" she asked.

"Of course, Detective!" he said proudly. "Although I could have never worn it to work, the Douche would have been jealous of how splendid I looked in it."

Chloe rolled her eyes.

His dark eyes looked unfocussed for a second, then a crown made of gleaming black obsidian, with sharp, cruel edges pointing upwards appeared neatly upon his head. Except it was more in the style of a simple wreath, she realised, like something from a dark, ancient forest where danger constantly lurked. No one would be asking him to cut a ceremonial ribbon of some new blah building when he had a crown like that, she thought. It was black as a starless night… had he made it in his grief at being cut off from his stars, here down in Hell?

"You would have had a few second looks if you wore that to work, yes, Lucifer," she allowed. "It looks very you… although Beatrice would have wanted to try it on in two seconds," she added with a smile. She also thought that if you were an unlucky soul brought before him with his crown present and eyes flaming like fire, you would feel like babbling your sins straight away.

"Yes, and that's the last I would probably have seen it, Detective," he huffed, but he looked pleased before he made his crown vanish.

He slipped an arm around her and she snuggled into his side.

After a while, she leaned up to softly kiss the corner of his mouth and at the same time, made her crown vanish.

Lucifer took her hand and rubbed her palm gently again with his thumb, his eyes dark and soft as he looked at her.

"So, Detective," he said in a low, teasing voice, his head bending close to hers, "You've got something to celebrate, don't you think? Do you want to watch a DVD together?"

Chloe met his gaze and smiled, shaking her head. "No."

"Do you want me to play the piano for you?"

"No, but maybe another time."

His gaze then held her own, and she found she couldn't look away. Or maybe, she didn't want to.

"Then what do you desire, darling?"

"You, Lucifer," she said firmly.

TBC


	17. Closer

A/N: Gentle readers should be aware that this chapter contains adults-only goings on between two consenting adults. Or, the Detective and her Devil get it on.

"Yes, Detective," Lucifer said huskily as he reached down to clasp her waist, a delighted and tender look on his face. He lifted and pulled her easily over his lap so that she was straddling him, then sat forward a bit slightly so it would be easier for Chloe too. His arms went around her, a hand lightly tracing patterns on her back before dropping to her waist, touching and caressing her there almost shyly as if she was special, a treasure.

A feeling of warmth and tenderness went through Chloe and she bent her head to kiss him, Lucifer lifting his face eagerly to meet her. They kissed with passion, heated and wanting, his lips slanting over hers. Chloe could never take even just kissing him for granted, she thought, remembering how she had recalled their few, precious kisses over and over throughout the years until the memory of them had worn thin and faded in her mind.

Her tongue darted out to touch the seam of his lips and she felt Lucifer smile against her mouth before he opened his obligingly. She slid her tongue gently into his mouth and heard him make a muffled groan, before his tongue met and twined expertly with hers, as if it was a dance they were doing.

Chloe put her arms loosely around his shoulders, careful not to touch down between his shoulder blades in case his wings were accidentally released. Presumably there would be just the smooth skin of his back there now instead of the scars she had seen years ago. She lifted a hand to card her fingers through his dark hair and he purred in pleasure against her mouth.

Lucifer leaned back slightly and a hand of his moved to cup her breast under her blazer, gently squeezing and fondling. She moaned in pleasure and he looked at her, an expression that was both happy and wicked on his face.

"You like that, darling?" he enquired, his hand caressing her further and delighting in the sweet sounds she made in response.

"Yes," she said huskily.

"You see, Detective," he purred, "I can't tell what your desires are, so you will have to let me know," as he gave her breast another gentle squeeze, his dark eyes sparkling.

"Umm… that's good," was her clever response.

His gaze never leaving hers, he moved his other hand so that he was cupping both of her breasts now through her top, rubbing his thumbs over their peaks.

"Thank you," he murmured, sounding a bit dazed. "So lovely, darling."

His hands then reached up to her hair, deftly undoing it from its sensible bun so that waves of it fell down around her shoulders. His eyes admiring, he pushed his hands eagerly into her hair, winding some of its gold gently around his fingers.

There was something adorable about his eagerness, she thought. Wanting the feel of his skin against hers, Chloe touched his black jacket, opening it up to reveal more of his white shirt underneath.

"Less clothes, Detective?" he said huskily.

"Definitely less clothes," she agreed, kissing him hungrily. He leaned back and took off his jacket with deliberate slowness before tossing it to the side, his gaze never leaving her face.

Chloe touched his white shirt, running a curious hand over it gently, feeling the contours of his chest underneath her fingers. Lucifer made a soft sound as she undid one of his buttons and then another one so she could slip a hand through and caress his bare chest.

"Chloe," he muttered, his dark eyes wide at the feel of her warm fingers on his skin. There was something special about her touch alone that made desire burn hotly through him. The fact that he couldn't automatically tap into her desires and know how to fulfil them, meant he was in unknown territory now despite his charms. Dangerous territory too, even for him. He didn't want to get things wrong with the Detective, of all people. But right now everything she was doing to him, even something simple, seemed wonderful.

His hands dropped to her waist, clutching it at times as she continued to carefully unbutton his shirt, a look of concentration on her beautiful face. When she had unbuttoned his shirt, he lifted his arms up to her with a wicked smirk so she could undo his cuffs. As she did so, Chloe noticed that his cufflinks looked like they were made out of jet, shiny and faceted.

Lucifer took the cufflinks from her with a kiss, before tucking them securely in a trouser pocket. He took off his shirt hastily and then tossed that aside, the Detective helping with a smile upon her face.

"Still keeping in shape," she said approvingly as she ran a hand down over his bare chest, a teasing look in her blue eyes.

Lucifer embraced her with a growl, his mouth hot and hungry upon hers. She moaned in response, her hands lifting to caress his neck and hair. His hand slid purposely down her back to grip her bottom, pulling her firmly against his growing arousal.

Chloe whimpered as she felt his hardness against her thighs, the heat of his body evident even through their layers of clothing. She squirmed against him in need as she returned his kisses and he groaned, squeezing her bottom.

"My clothes," she managed to say at one point.

Lucifer ceased kissing her.

"Yes, clothes off, Detective," he said, a look of wild hunger on his face.

She kissed him softly to soothe him.

"I'll try and take them off seductively," she then whispered by his ear before kissing that too. This would be interesting, she thought, given that they weren't date clothes by any stretch.

The wild look faded to be replaced with amusement.

"Oh, a strip tease just for me, Detective?" he asked hopefully, relaxing his arms from around her.

Chloe rolled her eyes at him affectionately and gave him a long, lingering kiss, hearing him groan in response in her mouth.

"Yes, a special strip tease just for my devil boyfriend. Don't ask me the last time I did a strip tease for someone."

"There's the one in 'Hot Tub High School', Detective," he said encouragingly, preening at being called her boyfriend.

"That wasn't a strip tease, that was just me taking off clothes to get in the tub," she mumbled. "Trying to make it look natural in front of a film crew."

"We'll have to watch it again and discuss it at length, Detective," he said with his eyes dancing and a smile that was just short of a leer.

"You'll be lucky," she told him firmly as she carefully got up off him and stood up.

"Yes, darling," he replied happily.

Chloe took off her grey jacket, which Lucifer then took from her hands and tossed aside.

"I'll take off your shoes, Detective," he said helpfully.

He then promptly bent and undid one of her ankle boots, Chloe lifting her foot slightly so he could take it off. He touched her sock and then removed that as well, his warm hand then caressing her bare foot afterwards.

As he carefully removed her other ankle boot and sock, she said thoughtfully down to his bent head, "You know, Lucifer, I didn't see any sensible brown shoes in my wardrobe. I wonder why?"

Lucifer bristled in an almost comical way as he looked up at her.

"Even Hell has standards, Detective!" he said severely. "There's no need to terrify everyone too much down here."

Now standing in her bare feet, a chuckle escaped her lips and she ran her fingers lightly through his hair, smiling down at him.

He leaned into her hand with a pleased sigh before standing again, towering over her.

"Would you like more assistance with your striptease, Detective?" he asked wickedly.

Chloe smiled.

"Yeah, why not?"

Touching the hem of her black top, Lucifer carefully pulled it up and over her head, the Detective obligingly lifting her arms to help with the process. Her long, golden hair a tangled mess afterwards, he ran his hands gently down over it to smooth it.

She was only wearing a bra on top now. Delighting in the sight of her creamy skin, his hands dropped to the waistband of her black trousers, his fingers teasing over the skin just above it.

Chloe gave him a quick kiss and then started undoing her trousers, laughing softly when he darted in to give her a heated kiss. Once her trousers were removed and put aside, she stood there now clad only in her bra and underwear.

His beautiful Detective, Lucifer thought and then his lips curved in a smile that was pure sin. He looked at her bra intently and then after a second she felt it unclasp by itself at her back, the bra loosening slightly around her torso in response.

She looked down in surprise, her eyes round. Had he just… he had!

"It worked!" he exclaimed happily as if he wasn't as nearly old as the universe itself, his eyes bright at this success.

Chloe's blue eyes narrowed ominously although a sparkle lurked within them.

"Lucifer, did you just do your unlock-things-mojo _on my bra_?" she said sternly, putting her hands on her hips as she tried not to laugh.

He looked flustered for a moment and Chloe could almost see the word 'oops!' appear in his head. In big, capital letters. Lucifer was such an idiot sometimes, she thought fondly, not for the first time. But he was her idiot.

"Yes, Detective?" he said cautiously, his dark eyes huge in the sharp planes of his face as he sat back down on the couch.

"How dare you!" she huffed, borrowing one of his lines as she waved a finger at him, though she couldn't prevent herself now from chuckling. "I can't take you anywhere."

"Then allow me to make amends, Detective," he said penitently, though there was a teasing look in his eyes now. "Once I take the rest of my clothes off, I'm all yours."

"Keep talking, honey," Chloe said in amusement, eyeing him as she removed her bra, tossing it aside afterwards.

Lucifer's gaze then became riveted to her chest, unable to look away from her firm, lovely breasts.

"Oh, Chloe," he breathed, unconsciously lifting his hands as if to touch her.

She smiled at him and that was a thing of beauty as well. Then she bent slightly to remove her underwear and after that, he was lost... falling. He had seen the Detective unclothed before, but it was different now. She was a piece of Heaven right down here in Hell, wearing only his bullet necklace.

He could only stare at her, his mouth slightly open until the Detective coughed slightly, returning him to the present. There was amusement in her blue eyes as she pointed down at his black trousers, flicking her fingers in a 'take them off' gesture.

"Yes, of course, Detective," he babbled as he stood up quickly to do her bidding. Was he babbling? No, of course not, he thought. The Devil didn't babble. Oh, bollocks.

Then he remembered with embarrassment he would have to take off his shoes first, so he sat down again, bending to remove them. He's had countless lovers, you would think he would be better at this sort of thing by now… what must the Detective be thinking?

Feeling a bit wretched, Lucifer peeked up at Chloe. With her golden hair tumbling about her bare shoulders, she hummed encouragingly at him, a smile on her face and it was all right, after all.

A smile in return spreading across his face, he bent to remove his shoes and socks and then stood to remove his trousers, his belt buckle clinking as he took them off. He gave a moan of relief as his arousal was freed, grasping and pumping it briefly with one hand.

The Detective blinked a few times at him, a blush appearing on her cheeks then spreading downwards.

Hot damn, she thought.

Feeling quite pleased at her reaction, with care Lucifer then lay down upon the leather couch, stretching out his long, naked body just so. The LA sun-that-wasn't shone late morning light throughout the penthouse, making Chloe's long hair gleam.

"All yours, darling!" he purred. "The berries are definitely ready for harvesting now."

Chloe tried not to facepalm. Honestly, he was the most annoying, naughty person she had ever met, she thought, memories of previous times she had seen him naked and unashamed rushing back to her mind too. She would be sure to tell him afterwards. Really. But maybe not how he had looked so adorable before when he was flustered.

Yeah, this was her afterlife now.

Ignoring his cheesy line and her gaze never leaving him, Chloe approached the end of the couch. Lucifer is someone special, one made of stars and darkness, fire and yes, silly jokes… old pain too that she wants to kiss better.

The teasing look in his eyes fades and a groan escapes Lucifer at the first touch of her warm skin against his, reaching up for her with hands that are slightly trembling. Strands of her hair brushed over his chest and then his neck like the softest of caresses as she climbed carefully upon him, warmth and anticipation in her eyes.

Looking down at his face and rubbing her fingers teasingly over his stubble, she bent down to kiss his aquiline nose gently. He blinked up at her with soft surprise in his eyes, a hand of his lifting to cup the side of her face.

"Detective…"

Lucifer surely had a dozen reasons to say something suggestive or provocative, but the words faltered with each soft kiss upon his face, as if she was determined to map it with her lips. He wished that their first time could have been in his LA penthouse, where he could have happily spoiled her afterwards. Picnics on the beach where they had first kissed, a bottle of champagne available too. He would have complained a bit about sand getting in his clothes; she would have rolled her eyes amiably at him, perhaps kissing him until thoughts of complaint went away. They're both far now from any beach or glittering city but in each other's arms at last, and isn't that a miracle in itself?

Chloe kissed her way down his throat, nipping him gently where his neck met his shoulder, hearing him gasp as she marked him. There was something heady about having him under her, she thought, a whine escaping him as he tried and failed to press himself between her legs, her body neatly evading him. The amused expression in her crystal blue eyes said _not quite yet, honey,_ so his hand lifted to cup and squeeze her breast firmly instead, glad there were no layers of clothing between them now.

Chloe whimpered in response, her concentration flying out of the window for a moment. She could almost feel the heat radiating from his skin when she did start to kiss his broad chest, so as an experiment she touched her tongue to his skin, near one of his flat male nipples. Yeah, warmer than average. Lucifer groaned and his long body moved restlessly underneath her, so with a smile she did it again.

"Detective!" he gasped.

She looked up at him slowly, her golden hair brushing his chest.

"Just finding out what my partner desires," she said deliberately, managing to look both sensual and innocent at the same time. "You liked that, did you?"

"I'll show you what your partner desires, Detective!" Lucifer growled, glittering red in his eyes for a moment as he seized her arm and hauled her back up the length of his body as if she weighed nothing. He clasped the back of her head and brought it down so he could kiss her fiercely, his tongue sliding into her mouth and tasting her sweetness. Pushing a knee up between her legs, his other arm of his wrapped around her waist and then he gripped and squeezed her bottom, pulling her more firmly down against his arousal.

Chloe moaned and ground herself down against him in return. He swore in two languages and broke away from their kiss, his face flushed and feeling as if fire was running visibly underneath his skin. With his heated gaze upon her face, he removed his hand from her head, sliding it instead almost desperately down her body and between her legs, seeking her secret place… panting when he found her slick with need. For him. She keened at his touch, parting her legs slightly in welcome and felt him pulse in response against her thigh.

"Chloe… oh, Chloe," he then said huskily. "Please, darling."

"Yes," she whispered, kissing him. His arms released her and she rose up to straddle him carefully, positioning him at her entrance before slowly sinking down on him, his dark eyes looking up at her as if she was the only other thing in existence. Chloe moaned in surprise at the hard, heavy feel of him, of being filled completely like no other had.

Lucifer clenched his jaw as a quiver ran through his whole body, the feel of Chloe's velvet heat surrounding him both bliss and torment at the same time. His hands moved to grip her waist, a groan escaping him as she started to rock determinedly upon him, Chloe wanting him with everything that was in her.

"Chloe," she heard him say raggedly as he began thrusting up into her, panting and moaning unashamedly. His carefully styled hair had become wild curls and now both of his hands had moved to cup and sometimes roughly squeeze her breasts, his thumbs rubbing over her nipples too, making her whimper and gasp. His Detective looked magnificent and untamed above him, her eyes shining pools, the light of her soul shining brighter to his gaze now too.

"Oh," Chloe gasped, pleasure coursing through her as he started moving more urgently under her, wanting more. She kept up, riding Lucifer until she climaxed, her body clenching and pulsing around him as she called out his name in passion.

Lucifer felt himself tipping over the edge himself in response… his body tensed and then his hips jerked against her as he cried out her name in joy, his eyes glowing rubies for a moment and a surge of heat and energy filling her. Chloe slumped down upon Lucifer afterwards with a sigh, his strong arms cradling her gently as he eased reluctantly out of her.

"Detective," he said dazedly.

"Mmmphf," she sighed in pleasure against his neck, her hair having spilled all over his chest. Lucifer laughed, his heart feeling lighter than it had in eons as he kissed his queen softly.

TBC


	18. Feathers in Bed

Finally updated... watching Season 5a helped. Our couple are still kissing & cuddling etc in this chapter, but the plot should get going again in the next.

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When Chloe came back to herself, she lifted her head to see Lucifer looking up at her with what looked like amazement in his eyes, his warm arms cradling her gently.

"Hell must have frozen over at last," he said teasingly, looking somehow younger to her eyes.

"Too bad, how will I stay warm?" she sighed, smiling as she leaned down to boop his nose gently with hers.

An oddly warm and fuzzy feeling spread through Lucifer's chest at her continued affection towards him. It hadn't been just mere sex with Chloe before, it had been different in a way that he couldn't understand. Maybe Dr Linda could have helped, if he had still been seeing her. Although, to be honest, now that Linda was technically part-Celestial, perhaps there would be a way for a new session with her without him having to leave Hell at all… he had the best ideas sometimes!

"I've got a few more ways, love," he promised.

At that, Chloe felt him stir again against her belly and she slanted a surprised glance down at him.

"Immortal stamina, Detective!" he said proudly.

"Maybe I should investigate further," she said teasingly. "Though men love to boast, you know."

His eyebrows shot up and he pretended to look indignant.

"How dare you? I won't be taking that lying down, Detective," he huffed up at her, but his dark eyes held a sparkle. "It's bedtime for you."

She chuckled and then Lucifer rose smoothly to his feet without letting her go, Chloe promptly wrapping her legs around him. A pleased rumble escaped him as he pushed one hand under her bottom to keep her steady while his other arm reached around to hold her firmly against him, the lovely curves of her body pressing against his broad chest.

Then there was a _whoosh_ as his wings suddenly appeared and promptly wrapped themselves gently around them both.

"Bollocks!" Lucifer said in exasperation, trying to avoid having a mouthful of his own feathers... how embarrassing that would be. "So sorry, darling," he mumbled.

With no clothes on, Chloe definitely felt now as if she had been wrapped in a big, living feather blanket. Just like their owner, they seemed pleased as well that she was unclothed, as many of the feathers softly rubbed and fluttered happily against her skin, petting her all at once everywhere they could reach.

A soft moan escaped her throat in response and his eyes brightened with mischief. Oh, she was in big trouble now, she thought ruefully.

"Ooh, Detective," Lucifer said in pretend innocence, easily walking towards and up the stairs to his bedroom even though his gaze never left her face. "You do like my wings, don't you?"

He stopped at the end of the bed and with some reluctance, his wings drew back from around the Detective. Kneeling down, he lowered her carefully onto the bed and followed her willingly down upon it, his dark eyes heated. The warm weight of his long body covered hers briefly before he then rested upon his elbows to give Chloe some space, his wings fluttering before draping neatly over the bed on either side of them.

Chloe dropped her legs from his waist to rest them upon the bed, with Lucifer's wings using this as an excuse to move slightly closer to her, with some of the feathers doing their best now to caress her bare legs.

Well, that was something new for her, she thought. Snippets from the past of being in Lucifer's bed before come back to her… waking hung over and confused one morning, with a debonair Lucifer in a dressing gown teasing her on how they'd made Rosemary's Baby the night before (false) and then commenting when she departed on how she'd snored like an Albanian field wench (probably the truth… and hadn't that stung!).

Then there was the time when he'd given her the bullet necklace after she'd woken in his bed (because he had left town once again) dressed only in one of his white shirts.

Chloe lifted a hand and ran her fingers gently over the inside of a wing, petting and caressing the nearest feathers. Lucifer started humming, his eyes closing in pleasure as a ripple passed through his wings, wanting nothing more to melt in his Detective's arms.

"Chloe," he said huskily, his dark head dropping down to her neck, kissing and nipping it gently.

"Oh, you like that, do you?" Chloe enquired, running some fingers through his hair, giving his scalp light scratches.

"You're a tease, Detective!" she heard him mumble against her skin.

He started kissing his way hungrily down her neck, pausing just above her breasts.

"Hello again, darlings!" he said brightly before he began softly kissing one breast, his warm lips eventually closing around one of her nipples.

Chloe rolled her eyes at the cheesy line but then started moaning in response to his attentions.

At one point he lifted his head.

"You like _this_ too, don't you, Detective?" he said in a voice that had a raw edge to it. He wants her again… wants to be everything she desires.

"Yes," she gasped. "Don't stop."

With a groan he lowered his head again, eventually turning his attention to her other breast. Meanwhile, one of his hands stole down between her thighs, caressing her tenderly until she whimpered.

At one point she gasped, "Please… please, Lucifer." This was a new kind of torture in Hell, she thought muzzily.

He made a pleased growl and moved his body up slightly… oh so slowly… until she felt him pressing against her entrance before he thrust into her warmth once again.

In a husky voice he said, "This? Do you still desire this, darling?"

Chloe managed to roll her eyes. "Yes, you idiot," she panted, as she lifted her hips against his in response, her hands clasping his broad shoulders.

At that, he withdrew before pushing into her again at just the right angle. She keened, wrapping her legs around his waist as he began thrusting into her, his wings lifting slightly and then dropping back down at intervals.

Their bodies moved together eagerly and Chloe eventually felt her climax approaching as it built up within her.

She gasped, "I'm close," her fingers raking his shoulders, her body starting to arch underneath his.

"Oh, Chloe," he groaned as she came around him, gasping his name.

When she could think again, she blinked when she saw Lucifer looking down at her with eyes that were a lustrous black. He was still within her, still hard. His wings had lifted slightly and were hovering over them, each feather glowing with a soft white light that would increase in brightness before dimming, the process then repeating. A tremble ran through his large frame and there was an anxious look now in his eyes.

A feeling of sympathy swept through her… perhaps his wings here in Hell were increasing the emotions he was feeling and he wasn't quite sure how to cope.

"It's all right, honey," Chloe murmured, running a foot gently along his back. "Come on."

"Detective," Lucifer said huskily against her neck as he withdrew then thrust hard within her. He closed his eyes and rode her with passion, revelling in her moans as she clung to him. He kept up the pace until he could no longer, then his glowing wings lifted upwards, thrashing wildly as he came.

Chloe came after him and he slumped down upon her with a groan, his wings gliding down to flop upon the bed. After a while, Chloe lifted a hand and ran it gently through his hair, murmuring soft nonsense words at him. He nuzzled her neck before eventually lifting himself off her, then everything seemed to blur for a moment for Chloe before she found herself resting on her side in Lucifer's arms. She was lying on one of his wings while the other was curled over them both so they were in a softly glowing cocoon.

Chloe brushed his lips with hers. "You're unbelievable," she breathed.

Lucifer looked both pleased and somehow shy at the same time. "Yes, darling," he agreed as she snuggled closer to him.

"I love the built-in mood lighting," she teased at one point as she touched a feather which promptly got brighter in response. The protective wing above them dipped a bit and some feathers investigated her hair.

"Very funny, Detective," he said drolly and she smirked back at him.

Lucifer peeked down at her creamy skin and then his eyes widened.

"Detective, you're _naked!_ When did this happen?" he exclaimed.

Chloe rolled her eyes and smacked him lightly.

"It happened because I once met this handsome devil in a nightclub, who was full of himself," she told him.

Lucifer pretended to look insulted. "That's part of the job description, darling," he pointed out before kissing her.

After a while, Lucifer said sadly, "Some of my feathers are all untidy now, Detective. How can I hold my head high now?"

His dark eyes were big and mournful.

Chloe gave him a soft kiss.

"I'll help you, Big Bird, but first you'll have to get on your front," she said briskly.

"Big Bird? How dare you," he huffed, some of his primary feathers making a clattering sound together in pretend outrage.

"Sorry, honey," Chloe said with a smile, stroking his cheek in apology.

Lucifer decided to forgive her before lifting the wing that had been over them so Chloe had room to move.

Chloe carefully edged her way off his other wing, giving it a pat before she got off the bed.

A whine escaped Lucifer at her absence, but he shifted so that he was lying upon his stomach, adjusting a pillow for his head to rest on. On either side of him, his slightly dishevelled wings draped over the bed as well as down the sides, his dark hair ruffled.

Chloe pinched herself slightly – nope, this was still her afterlife – and climbed back upon the bed so that she could straddle his lower back.

"Lucifer likes," she heard him say encouragingly – if a bit huskily - as he shifted slightly under her.

Concentrating on his left wing first, she gently ran a hand over the feathers that were closest to her, hearing Lucifer starting to hum in pleasure again. The wing fluttered and puffed up happily under her caresses while the right wing twitched unhappily at being ignored.

She ran her right hand over the right wing tenderly for a moment.

"I won't forget you," she promised, the mollified wing fluttering in response.

Great, now she was _talking_ to his wings, she thought wryly.

Turning her attention back to his left wing, she noted how some muscles unfamiliar to her in Lucifer's back had stretched and flexed with the movement of his wings. When she had seen to all the feathers she could reach on that wing, she turned slightly and started grooming all the feathers she could reach on the right wing. Eventually she moved carefully off his back so she could tend to the feathers on his left wing that she wasn't able to reach.

Lucifer whined again as she moved off him to kneel on the bed and Chloe patted his bottom in consolation before tending to the other feathers, hearing him groan.

Surely this was a new form of torture the Detective (naked Detective!) was putting him through, Lucifer thought dazedly. How dare she! He felt like a puddle of bliss from her grooming his wings, but he already wanted her once more.

Chloe smiled to herself as she straddled his lower back again.

"Oh, wait, I didn't need to do that," she mused in pretend surprise. "I've already seen to the feathers from here. I'll just have to do this, then," she added, leaning down slowly so that she could kiss the alabaster skin of his back tenderly between his wings. Then with a hand she caressed a wing where it came out of his back.

Lucifer growled, everything blurred and then Chloe found herself flat on her back with him leaning over her, his wings having retracted.

"Is that what you call grooming, _Detective?_" he purred, his dark eyes gleaming. "You may need to be punished for a few things… but let's start with 'Big Bird', darling."

Chloe laughed as she drew him down to her.

TBC


End file.
